- Date
- August 17, 2009, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Leland, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N73102Air Tractor AT-301
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-DuPage FSDO
- Case key
- 74563
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power in flight due to a loss of engine oil as a result of the separation of the propeller hub components for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was spraying a field when “oil started hitting [his] windshield” and the engine lost oil pressure. Shortly thereafter, the engine “clattered and then quit.” He executed a forced landing into a corn field, where the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot noted that there was no indication of a problem prior to the loss of engine oil. A postaccident inspection revealed oil spray residue on the engine cowling and windshield. Examination determined that the spring puller bolt assembly and the piston gasket nut had separated from the propeller hub. The components were not recovered, precluding further examination. As a result, the exact nature of the failure could not be determined.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was spraying a field when “oil started hitting [his] windshield” and the engine lost oil pressure. Shortly thereafter, the engine “clattered and then quit.” He executed a forced landing into a corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot noted that there was no indication of a problem prior to the loss of engine oil. A post accident inspection revealed oil spray residue on the engine cowling and windshield. Examination determined that the spring puller bolt assembly and the piston gasket nut had separated from the propeller hub. The components were not recovered precluding further examination. As a result, the exact nature of the failure could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73102
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0656
- Airframe hours
- 8,042
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Hendrickson Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Hendrickson Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 8, 2009
- Departed
- IL93 · Creston, IL
- Destination
- IL93 · Creston, IL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- IL93 · Hendrickson Flying Service
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Flight engineer, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 12,905 total · 466 in this make and model · 12,231 as pilot in command · 105 in the last 90 days · 105 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- ARR, 18 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.