# Accident 20160508005309A: Air Tractor Inc AT-502B, Oberlin, KS, May 8, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 8, 2016, 17:00 local time
- Place: Oberlin, KS
- Airport: Oberlin Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: P8GG
- Location: 39.8339° N, 100.5403° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8339&lon=-100.5403&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6181Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6181Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502B (registry code 0390307, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b) (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-502B
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,058 total, 410 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA224) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160508005309A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT AND PILOT WERE RETURNING AFTER AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. DURING THE LANDING PHASE, ON ROLL OUT, THE TAIL WAS COMING DOWN AFTER A WHEEL LANDING.  A GUST OF WIND PICKED THE TAIL UP AND STARTED THE AIRCRAFT TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT SIDE.  THE TAIL WHEEL HIT THE GROUND AND BROKE LOOSE FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  THE TAIL WHEEL SPRING DUG INTO THE SOFT DIRT ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, WHILE THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED BY BENDING THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.  WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST THE TAIL ASSEMBLY WAS BENT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT ALIGNED APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT.  THE WINGS AND PROPELLER APPEAR TO HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, THE AIRMAN WAS NOT INJURED.  THE AIRMAN STATED HE DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANY AIRCRAFT ANOMALY OR MALFUNCTION THAT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.  THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED TO BE VISUAL METEOROLOGICALLY CONDITIONS.  HOWEVER, WEATHER REPORTED TO BE CHANGING RAPIDLY DUE TO IMPENDING STORMS.  SURFACE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE NORTHEAST AND CHANGING TO THE SOUTHEAST AND THEN TO THE WEST AND GUSTY WHILE THE AIRMAN ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 35.

## 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 GAA16CA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA224), May 8, 2016: Air Tractor AT 502 (N6181Q), Oberlin, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in runway excursion, and a ground loop.

## Other reports on N6181Q (1)

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

- [Accident 20010612015039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010612015039A), Jun 12, 2001: Airtrc AT502B (N6181Q), Marvell, AR, No damage. (-23) On June 12, 2001 at approximately 1330 hours, N6181Q, an air tractor, AT-502B crash-landed while taking off to the west by striking an atv at the middle…

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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