# Accident 20190311001189A: Air Tractor Inc AT-400A, Parma, ID, March 11, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 11, 2019, 13:00 local time
- Place: Parma, ID
- Airport: Parma
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 2OTG
- Location: 43.7789° N, 116.9386° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7789&lon=-116.9386&mi=10
- Aircraft: N400DQ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N400DQ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-400A (registry code 0390203, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-400a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG (registry code 52246, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-15ag) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-400A
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-15AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,900 total, 184 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA163) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190311001189A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED A AGRICULTURAL DISPENSING OPERATION AND WAS LANDING AT HIS HOME BASE IN PARMA, ID. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 4 KNOTS AND VARIABLE. DURING APPROACH THE PILOT NOTICED A FREIGHT TRAIN TRAVELLING ON THE TRACKS PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY. IN HIS EXPERIENCE, A TRAIN THAT IS TRAVELLING ON THE TRACKS DURING THE TIME OF LANDING CAUSES DIFFICULT LANDING CONDITIONS AND UNPREDICTABLE WINDS AT GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND AND BEGAN HIS APPROACH AFTER THE TRAIN HAD PASSED BY THE AIRPORT. THIS APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WAS UNEVENTFUL. DURING ROLLOUT THE PILOT RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND THE TAILWHEEL WAS ON THE GROUND AND LOCKED. DURING ROLLOUT THE PILOT STATED THAT 'IT WAS LIKE SOMEBODY KICKED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE SIDE' THE TAIL CAME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO TRAVEL TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. TIRE MARKS ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE SHOW THE LEFT TIRE STARTED TO SKID. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DELIBERATELY ADDED THE BRAKE TO TIGHTEN THE LEFT TURN AND KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM GOING THROUGH A LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER THAT HE THOUGHT WOULD CAUSE THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP ON ITS BACK. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRAVEL TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THE LEFT TURN WHILE ON THE TURF TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY EVENTUALLY STOPPING FACING THE RUNWAY. DURING THE  APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREE ROTATION FROM LANDING DIRECTION THE AIRCRAFT SIDELOADED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND STRUCK THE RIGHT WING TIP ON THE GROUND, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE AILERON AND REAR SPAR OF THE RIGHT WING. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP FACING THE RUNWAY THE POWERPLANT WAS STILL OPERATING AND THE PROPELLER HAD NOT TOUCHED THE GROUND. THE PILOT ADDED POWER, TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY SURFACE, CONTINUED TO PARKING AND PERFORMED A NORMAL SHUTDOWN.

THE PILOT CONTACTED THE BOISE FSDO ON 03-18-2019 AND STATED THAT THE RUNWAY HAS SOME FROST HEAVES ACROSS THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THOSE FROST HEAVES MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.

## 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 GAA19CA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA163), Mar 11, 2019: Air Tractor AT 400A (N400DQ), Parma, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in variable wind conditions, which resulted in the right wing impacting muddy terrain.

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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