20110810020579A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-400 · Nelson, NE · August 10, 2011

Date: August 10, 2011 · 19:30 local
Place: Nelson, NE
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: PSTG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3659N
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN11LA566
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-400
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total400 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N3659NRegistered now · Air Tractor AT-400S/N 400-0294 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-400 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot noticed engine torque fluctuation of 10-15 lbs, yet continued to operate at 75% power. Pilot pulled fuel cutoff to shut down engine. Pilot landed 253 feet short of his private strip. Inspector removed fuel line from firewall filter to secondary engine pump. No visible fuel in line or filter. Verified operation of secondary pump with no issues noted. Removed main pump/filter, this filter still had visible fuel in it. Fuel gauge indicated left tank with 1/2 fuel and right tank with 3/4 fuel. Waiting for NTSB advisement on further action needed.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT NOTICED ENGINE TORQUE FLUCTUATION OF 10-15 LBS, YET CONTINUED TO OPERATE AT 75% POWER. PILOT PULLED FUEL CUTOFF TO SHUT DOWN ENGINE. PILOT LANDED 253 FEET SHORT OF HIS PRIVATE STRIP. INSPECTOR REMOVED FUEL LINE FROM FIREWALL FILTER TO SECONDARY ENGINE PUMP. NO VISIBLE FUEL IN LINE OR FILTER. VERIFIED OPERATION OF SECONDARY PUMP WITH NO ISSUES NOTED. REMOVED MAIN PUMP/FILTER, THIS FILTER STILL HAD VISIBLE FUEL IN IT. FUEL GAUGE INDICATED LEFT TANK WITH 1/2 FUEL AND RIGHT TANK WITH 3/4 FUEL.WAITING FOR NTSB ADVISEMENT ON FURTHER ACTION NEEDED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN11LA566Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNelson, NEFailure of the fuel control unit's spool cap bearing for reasons that could not be determined during extensive postaccident examination, and the pilot’s decision to shut the engine down without sufficient altitude and distance to reach the runway.Aug 11, 2011 · Substantial damage