- Date
- August 3, 2011, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Minot, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8764SAir Tractor AT-301
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Fargo Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20110803016759A
- Case key
- 81484
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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the crosswind landing, resulting in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 returning from an aerial application training flight when the accident occurred. The airplane initially tracked the runway centerline during the landing rollout. The pilot noted that the landing gear seemed to shake, and he pulled back on the control stick and applied both brakes in response. At that point, the airplane veered to the left and subsequently ground looped. The airplane departed the runway pavement and the left main landing gear partially collapsed, allowing the left wing to contact the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident. A postaccident examination of the tail wheel assembly revealed no anomalies. The pilot reported that an approximate 80-degree right crosswind at 19 knots, gusting to 22 knots, existed during the accident landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was returning from an aerial application training flight when the accident occurred. The airplane initially tracked the runway centerline during the landing rollout. The pilot noted that the landing gear seemed to shake, and he pulled back on the control stick and applied both brakes in response. At that point, the airplane veered to the left and subsequently ground looped. The airplane departed the runway pavement and the left main landing gear partially collapsed, allowing the left wing to contact the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident. A postaccident examination of the tail wheel assembly revealed no anomalies. The pilot reported that an approximate 80-degree right crosswind at 19 knots, gusting to 22 knots, existed during the accident landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8764S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0186
- Airframe hours
- 9,428
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pioneer AgViation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Pioneer AgViation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 30, 2011
- Departed
- MOT · Minot, ND
- Destination
- MOT · Minot, ND
- Airport
- MOT · Minot International, runway 13, 7,700 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 28, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 259 total · 7 in this make and model · 178 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 19 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- MOT, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 25, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 249 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.