20130508018039A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-301 · Lyons, KS · May 8, 2013

Date: May 8, 2013 · 15:56 local
Place: Lyons, KS
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: W0GG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N23257
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13LA265
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-301
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,445 total541 in this make and model22 in the last 90 days

N23257Registered now · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0371 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-301 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1Reciprocating

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.

The pilot was entering the field from the west to begin a spraying run. As he was leveling off the right cockpit door opened, startling the pilot. The momentary distraction caused the pilot to allow the aircraft to settle into the wheat field approximately 200 feet from the west side of the field striking the ground with the propeller. The pilot then managed to get the aircraft airborne again but approximately 3/4 of a mile into the field the aircraft settled into the ground again contacting the right landing gear and wing tip. The aircraft spun 90 degrees left and skidding another 150 feet coming to rest upright.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS ENTERING THE FIELD FROM THE WEST TO BEGIN A SPRAYING RUN. AS HE WAS LEVELING OFF THE RIGHT COCKPIT DOOR OPENED, STARTLING THE PILOT. THE MOMENTARY DISTRACTION CAUSED THE PILOT TO ALLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE INTO THE WHEAT FIELD APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE FIELD STRIKING THE GROUND WITH THE PROPELLER. THE PILOT THEN MANAGED TO GET THE AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE AGAIN BUT APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A MILE INTO THE FIELD THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE GROUND AGAIN CONTACTING THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR AND WING TIP. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN 90 DEGREES LEFT AND SKIDDING ANOTHER 150 FEET COMING TO REST UPRIGHT.

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 CEN13LA265Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLyons, KSThe pilot's diverted attention after the door hinge failed and a piece of door glass struck the pilot, resulting in the airplane's descent into the crops and impact with terrain.May 8, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N23257 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19850725070509ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Bonita, LADuring tandem takeoff encountered wake turbulance. Aircraft settled to ground and flipped over.Jul 25, 1985 · Substantial damage