20160727011639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-301 · Olivia, MN · July 27, 2016

Date: July 27, 2016 · 07:30 local
Place: Olivia, MN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: KMJG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7311X
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA399
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-301
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 444 total84 in this make and model89 in the last 90 days

N7311XRegistration cancelled May 31, 2018 · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0659 · Built 1986 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.

Flight was planned and flown as a agriculture operation. Pilot became distracted with a GPS satellite lock issue. Pilot stated aircraft started to impact the tops of the corn stocks. Pilot was unable to recover and aircraft impacted the ground, landed upside down, and sustained substantial damage. Pilot egressed the aircraft with no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

FLIGHT WAS PLANNED AND FLOWN AS A AGRICULTURE OPERATION. PILOT BECAME DISTRACTED WITH A GPS SATELLITE LOCK ISSUE. PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT STARTED TO IMPACT THE TOPS OF THE CORN STOCKS. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND, LANDED UPSIDE DOWN, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES.

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 GAA16CA399Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBird Island, MNThe pilot's diverted attention inside the cockpit and failure to maintain the airplane's altitude while maneuvering at a low altitude, resulting in an impact with terrain.Jul 27, 2016 · Substantial damage