- Date
- April 2, 2012, 09:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Ganado, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4544SAir Tractor AT-402A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20120402004609A
- Case key
- 83279
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 improper positioning of the hopper vent, which allowed chemicals to escape and cover the airplane's windshield.
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
On the day before the accident, the pilot installed dry fertilizer equipment on the airplane. Later that afternoon, the pilot removed the dry fertilizer equipment and installed spray booms and a spray pump in preparation for dispensing a liquid chemical the next day. The following day, during the takeoff roll, chemicals started covering the windshield, and the windshield washer had no effect. The pilot lost all outside visual references and was unable to maintain level flight. The airplane impacted the ground and slid to a stop. Postaccident examination revealed that the hopper vent had not been turned around. The hopper was still pressurized and chemicals blew out of the hopper lid onto the windshield.
Factual narrative
On the day before the accident, the pilot installed dry fertilizer equipment on the airplane. Later that afternoon, the pilot removed the dry fertilizer equipment and installed spray booms and a spray pump in preparation for dispensing a liquid chemical the next day. The following day, during the takeoff roll, chemical started covering the windshield. The windshield washer had no effect. The pilot lost all outside visual references and was unable to maintain level flight. The airplane impacted the ground and slid to a stop. Postaccident examination revealed the hopper vent had not been turned around. The hopper was still pressurized and chemical blew out of the hopper lid onto the windshield.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4544S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-402A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402A-0782
- Airframe hours
- 7,746
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-27, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Nelson Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Coastal Flying Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2012
- Departed
- NONE · Granado, TX
- Destination
- NONE · Granado, TX
- Airport
- NONE · Coastal Flying Service, runway 16, 3,000 × 25 ft, gravel
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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 25, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 3,600 total · 550 in this make and model · 3,550 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 23, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB 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.