20120829017199A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-301 · Ralls, TX · August 29, 2012

Date: August 29, 2012 · 15:30 local
Place: Ralls, TX
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 1BTG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N23960
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12LA589
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-301
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 675 total225 in this make and model225 in the last 90 days

N23960Registration cancelled Jan 19, 2016 · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0448 · Built 1982 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-301 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

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.

Approximatly 1530 CDT on August 29, 2012, the pilot was performing aerial applications of a cotton field with herbicides (roundup). He took off from crosbyton municipal airport (8F3) around 1515. While spraying the field, he was turning to re-enter the field for the next pass, when the engine lost power. After an attempt to restore power, he tried to land on a turn road in the middle of the field. As the pilot touched down, he hit soft dirt which caused the aircraft to flip on its back. There was sustantial damage to the aircraft. No injuries to the pilot on board.

As the FAA filed it

APPROXIMATLY 1530 CDT ON AUGUST 29, 2012, THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATIONS OF A COTTON FIELD WITH HERBICIDES (ROUNDUP). HE TOOK OFF FROM CROSBYTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (8F3) AROUND 1515. WHILE SPRAYING THE FIELD, HE WAS TURNING TO RE-ENTER THE FIELD FOR THE NEXT PASS, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE POWER, HE TRIED TO LAND ON A TURN ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. AS THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN, HE HIT SOFT DIRT WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP ON ITS BACK. THERE WAS SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT ON BOARD.

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 CEN12LA589Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRalls, TXThe total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure of the rocker arm journal casting of the rocker arm cap.Aug 29, 2012 · Substantial damage