What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On landing the tail wheel bolt sheared and aircraft ran off into corn field. Pilot stated minor damage only. Aircraft was repaired and flying before the FAA was contacted.
Inspector report N402SJ, Air tractor 402B, tim haley
Inspected aircraft on September 4, 2014; privacy data omitted and his family were present. The left wing tip was removed along with the inboard wing fairings.
The following items were noted:
1. Left outboard wing had new rivets installed by outboard 3 trailing edge ribs.
2. Replacement ribs appeared to be used. However, the ribs appeared to be in serviceable condition.
3. Rear spar, no damage to spar or no signs of spar repair were visible able.
4. No signs of rear spar replacement were noted.
5. Forward spar, no damage to spar or no signs of spar repair were visible able.
6. No signs of forward spar replacement were noted.
7. Rivet work was fair, inspector haley pointed out several rivets requiring replacement.
8. Inspected inboard wing root area, no issues noted. No signs of any damage in this area or indication there is any repairs in this area.
9. Aircraft is a low time aircraft at 846.6 hours. Because of this, everything appeared to be new anyway. Verified time on aircraft flight hour meter.
10. Inspected tail wheel assembly, no issues noted. Tail wheel bolt sheared which caused the ground loop. Could not tell if any of the hardware was new or not. If the bolt was replaced, a used bolt was installed.
11. Propeller did not appear to be damaged. Unable to tell if this was a new propeller or not. Current prop had erosion on blades indicating the prop had been in service for a while. All blades had nicks in the blades. Inspector haley pointed out that some of these nicks were possible past any serviceable limits. Informed the operator he should refer to the hartzell manual for serviceable limits.
12. Reviewed aircraft records and 337. No issues noted.
13. Contacted Air tractor, privacy data omitted in customer support. Air tractor has no special inspection required for ground loop, hard landing, or other type of unusual operating conditions. Each aircraft is to be evaluated by the mechanic performing the repairs.
As the FAA filed it
ON LANDING THE TAIL WHEEL BOLT SHEARED AND AIRCRAFT RAN OFF INTO CORN FIELD. PILOT STATED MINOR DAMAGE ONLY. AIRCRAFT WAS REPAIRED AND FLYING BEFORE THE FAA WAS CONTACTED.
INSPECTOR REPORT N402SJ, AIR TRACTOR 402B, TIM HALEY
INSPECTED AIRCRAFT ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2014; ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND HIS FAMILY WERE PRESENT. THE LEFT WING TIP WAS REMOVED ALONG WITH THE INBOARD WING FAIRINGS.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE NOTED:
1. LEFT OUTBOARD WING HAD NEW RIVETS INSTALLED BY OUTBOARD 3 TRAILING EDGE RIBS.
2. REPLACEMENT RIBS APPEARED TO BE USED. HOWEVER, THE RIBS APPEARED TO BE IN SERVICEABLE CONDITION.
3. REAR SPAR, NO DAMAGE TO SPAR OR NO SIGNS OF SPAR REPAIR WERE VISIBLE ABLE.
4. NO SIGNS OF REAR SPAR REPLACEMENT WERE NOTED.
5. FORWARD SPAR, NO DAMAGE TO SPAR OR NO SIGNS OF SPAR REPAIR WERE VISIBLE ABLE.
6. NO SIGNS OF FORWARD SPAR REPLACEMENT WERE NOTED.
7. RIVET WORK WAS FAIR, INSPECTOR HALEY POINTED OUT SEVERAL RIVETS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.
8. INSPECTED INBOARD WING ROOT AREA, NO ISSUES NOTED. NO SIGNS OF ANY DAMAGE IN THIS AREA OR INDICATION THERE IS ANY REPAIRS IN THIS AREA.
9. AIRCRAFT IS A LOW TIME AIRCRAFT AT 846.6 HOURS. BECAUSE OF THIS, EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE NEW ANYWAY. VERIFIED TIME ON AIRCRAFT FLIGHT HOUR METER.
10. INSPECTED TAIL WHEEL ASSEMBLY, NO ISSUES NOTED. TAIL WHEEL BOLT SHEARED WHICH CAUSED THE GROUND LOOP. COULD NOT TELL IF ANY OF THE HARDWARE WAS NEW OR NOT. IF THE BOLT WAS REPLACED, A USED BOLT WAS INSTALLED.
11. PROPELLER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED. UNABLE TO TELL IF THIS WAS A NEW PROPELLER OR NOT. CURRENT PROP HAD EROSION ON BLADES INDICATING THE PROP HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR A WHILE. ALL BLADES HAD NICKS IN THE BLADES. INSPECTOR HALEY POINTED OUT THAT SOME OF THESE NICKS WERE POSSIBLE PAST ANY SERVICEABLE LIMITS. INFORMED THE OPERATOR HE SHOULD REFER TO THE HARTZELL MANUAL FOR SERVICEABLE LIMITS.
12. REVIEWED AIRCRAFT RECORDS AND 337. NO ISSUES NOTED.
13. CONTACTED AIR TRACTOR, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN CUSTOMER SUPPORT. AIR TRACTOR HAS NO SPECIAL INSPECTION REQUIRED FOR GROUND LOOP, HARD LANDING, OR OTHER TYPE OF UNUSUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. EACH AIRCRAFT IS TO BE EVALUATED BY THE MECHANIC PERFORMING THE REPAIRS.
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