# Accident 20150326003819A: Air Tractor Inc AT-400, Levelland, TX, March 26, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 26, 2015, 14:55 local time
- Place: Levelland, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: WBMG
- Location: 33.5525° N, 102.3725° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5525&lon=-102.3725&mi=10
- Aircraft: N136DB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N136DB-2017-12-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-400 (registry code 0390202, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-400) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52034, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-400
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 15,792 total, 178 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA182) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150326003819A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AT-402, N136DB WAS BEING REBUILT; THE RIGHT WING WAS SENT TO THE FACTORY FOR REBUILDING AND A REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED.  THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER COMPLETION OF THE MAINTENANCE.

THE PILOT COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT AND A GROUND RUN-UP (TO INCLUDE A CHECK OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS ? WHICH WERE FREE AND CLEAR).  ON TAKE-OFF HE MADE A RIGHT TURN OUT AND NOTICED THAT THE CONTROLS STARTED STICKING AND THEN BINDING. HE STAYED IN THE PATTERN AND SET-UP FOR A RIGHT DOWN-WIND AND RIGHT BASE FOR RUNWAY 35. AS HE ESTABLISHED FINAL HIS CONTROLS GOT FREE, HE SAW THAT THE LEFT AILERON HAD GOTTEN LOOSE AND WAS FLAPPING. HE BOUNCED ON THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN AND WAS USING FULL CONTROL DEFLECTIONS AND RIGHT RUDDER TO KEEP ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY. THE BEST HE COULD DO WAS HOLD TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.  ON THE SECOND BOUNCE HE ADDED POWER, BUT THAT CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSE CAME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT.

THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL HIT FIRST THEN THE ENGINE BROKE LOOSE AND THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED. THE PILOT PULLED IN HIS FEET AND RELIED ON THE 4 PILOT SAFETY HARNESS AND HELMET TO PROTECT HIM.

AILERON CONTROL RODS WERE CHECKED AT EACH WING ROOT, BOTH WERE CORRECT:

?	THE ROD-END BEARING FOR THE RIGHT AILERON WAS PULLED APART; THE CONNECTING BOLT REMAINED IN THE FLAP-DROOPING FIXTURE ALONG WITH REMNANTS OF THE ROD-END BEARING.

?	THE ROD-END BEARING FOR THE LEFT AILERON WAS INTACT AND THE BOLT HOLE WAS FILLED WITH DIRT. THE CONNECTING BOLT FOR THE FLAP-DROOPING FIXTURE WAS NOT IN PLACE AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TORN LOOSE.

THREE OF THE FOUR AILERON LINKAGES WERE CUT WITH CABLE CUTTERS WHEN THE COCKPIT WAS SEPARATED FROM THE WING SECTION DURING THE RECOVERY; THE 4TH LINKAGE WAS ALREADY BROKEN AT THE THREADS OF THE ROD-END FITTING. THESE LINKAGES CAUSE THE AILERONS TO DROOP WHEN THE FLAPS ARE DEPLOYED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN15LA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA182), Mar 26, 2015: Air Tractor AT 400 (N136DB), Levelland, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The in-flight separation of the left aileron's attachment hardware at the connection between the long aileron pushrod and the left aileron bellcrank. Contributing to the accident was maintenance…

## Other reports on N136DB (1)

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

- [Incident 20130715013079I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130715013079I), Jul 15, 2013: Air Tractor Inc AT-400 (N136DB), Whiting, IA, Minor damage. Pilot was on a test flight to test a suspected problem with the fuel control unit. The pilot was slightly low on final approach to landing and added throttle…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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