# Accident 20230928017619A: Air Tractor Inc AT-802, Herington, KS, September 28, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 28, 2023, 11:30 local time
- Place: Herington, KS
- Airport: Herington Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.6915° N, 96.8069° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6915&lon=-96.8069&mi=10
- Aircraft: N445HA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N445HA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-802 (registry code 0390305, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67F (registry code 52290, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-67f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-802
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-65AG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 370 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA425](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA425) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230928017619A

## Narrative

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

ON 9/28/2023 APPROXIMATELY 11:30 AM LOCAL TIME AT THE HERINGTON REGIONAL AIRPORT (HRU). THE AIR TRACTOR AT-802 WAS CONDUCTING A LANDING AT HRU ON RUNWAY 35 WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO VEER RIGHT BOTH PILOTS, ATP RATED, APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER, AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKES WHILE VERBALLY CONFIRMING CONTROL INPUTS. WITH THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL THE PILOTS ARE UNABLE TO APPLY LEFT BRAKE DUE TO THE SPRAY LEVER ROD INSTALLATION ON THIS MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 35 COLLIDING WITH A DITCH. DAMAGE WAS CAUSED THE PROPELLER, LEFT MAIN GEAR DETACHED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, AND DAMAGE TO THE WING. NO EVIDENCE OF PILOT ERROR WAS DISCOVERED. THE RESULT OF THE SPRAY LEVEL ROD AFFECTING THE CONTROLS OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HOW MANY AIRCRAFT THIS WILL AFFECT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

## 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 CEN23LA425](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA425), Sep 28, 2023: Air Tractor AT-802 (N445HA), Herington, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The design of the spray valve control lever, which restricted the range of the left rear rudder and brake pedal and resulted in a loss of control during landing.

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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