- Date
- May 25, 2012, 06:45 local (11:45 UTC)
- Place
- Alicia, AR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Defining events
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on groundStanding-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Little Rock FSDO
- FAA reports
- 20120525009721A20120525009711A
- Case key
- 83781
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 of the Thrush did not execute a go-around prior to landing, which resulted in excessive ground speed after touchdown, and his subsequent loss of directional control, which resulted in a collision with the Air Tractor.
The pilot of the Thrush did not execute a go-around prior to landing, which resulted in excessive ground speed after touchdown, and his subsequent loss of directional control, which resulted in a collision with the Air Tractor.
Findings · 8
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.
N40475 · Thrush S2RHG-T65
N389LA · Air Tractor AT-802A
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.
N40475 · Thrush S2RHG-T65
N389LA · Air Tractor AT-802A
Analysis
Following a loss of control during the landing roll, a Thrush agricultural airplane collided with an Air Tractor agricultural airplane that was parked about 50 to 75 feet off the runway with its engine operating waiting to takeoff. The pilot of the Thrush reported that the airplane was traveling too fast during touchdown so he attempted a go-around then realized that the engine would not respond quickly enough, and he aborted the go-around. He applied both brakes and put the propeller into reverse; however, the airplane started to veer off the left side of the runway. He applied right rudder and right brake in an attempt to regain directional control but was unsuccessful and hit the Air Tractor. The Thrush pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or system failures of the Thrush.
Following a loss of control during the landing roll, a Thrush agricultural airplane collided with an Air Tractor agricultural airplane that was parked about 50 to 75 feet off the runway with its engine operating waiting to takeoff. The pilot of the Thrush reported that the airplane was traveling too fast during touchdown so he attempted a go-around then realized that the engine would not respond quickly enough, and he aborted the go-around. He applied both brakes and put the propeller into reverse; however, the airplane started to veer off the left side of the runway. He applied right rudder and right brake in an attempt to regain directional control but was unsuccessful and hit the Air Tractor. The Thrush pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or system failures of the Thrush.
Factual narrative
On May 25, 2012, at 0645 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802A, N389LA, sustained substantial damage when a Thrush S2RHG-T65, N40475, collided with it while it was on a taxiway preparing to depart from a private airstrip near Alicia, Arkansas. The Thrush was in its landing roll when it lost directional control and struck the Air Tractor. Neither pilot was injured. The Air Tractor and Thrush were owned and operated by J and R Flying Service LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 for agricultural operations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plans were filed. The Thrush departed the airstrip at 0630 and was returning to land when it impacted the Air Tractor. The pilot of the Thrush reported that the airplane was traveling too fast during touchdown so he attempted a go-around. He reported that the engine would not “spool back up in time” to make a successful go-around, so he decided to abort the go-around. He applied both brakes and put the propeller into reverse, however, the airplane started to veer off the left side of the runway. He applied right rudder and right brake to regain directional control but was unsuccessful. The Thrush hit the Air Tractor that was about 50 to 75 feet off the runway. The propeller of the Thrush hit the left wing of the Air Tractor, and the Air Tractor’s propeller hit the Thrush’s left wing. The pilot reported that there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction or system failure of the Thrush.
On May 25, 2012, at 0645 central daylight time, a Thrush S2RHG-T65, N40475, sustained substantial damage when it collided with an Air Tractor AT-802A, N389LA, after it lost directional control during landing roll at a private airstrip near Alicia, Arkansas. The Thrush impacted the Air Tractor which was on the taxiway preparing to depart from the private airstrip. Neither pilot was injured. The Thrush and the Air Tractor were owned and operated by J and R Flying Service LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 for agricultural operations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plans were filed. The Thrush departed the airstrip at 0630 and was returning to land when it impacted the Air Tractor. The pilot of the Thrush reported that the airplane was traveling too fast during touchdown so he attempted a go-around. He reported that the engine would not “spool back up in time” to make a successful go-around, so he decided to abort the go-around. He applied both brakes and put the propeller into reverse, however, the airplane started to veer off the left side of the runway. He applied right rudder and right brake to regain directional control but was unsuccessful. The Thrush hit the Air Tractor that was about 50 to 75 feet off the runway. The propeller of the Thrush hit the left wing of the Air Tractor, and the Air Tractor’s propeller hit the Thrush’s left wing. The pilot reported that there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction or system failure of the Thrush.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N40475
- Reported as
- Thrush S2RHG-T65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T65HG-014
- Airframe hours
- 3,372
- Engine
- P&W PT6A SER, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- J & R Flying Service LLC
- Registered owner
- J & R Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 2012
- Departed
- Alicia, AR
- Destination
- Alicia, AR
- Airport
- Private Airstrip, runway 01, 2,600 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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.
- Registration
- N389LA
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-802A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0389
- Airframe hours
- 410
- Engine
- P&W Canada PT6A-65AG, 1,300 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- J & R Flying Service LLC
- Registered owner
- J & R Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2012
- Departed
- Alicia, AR
- Destination
- Alicia, AR
- Airport
- Private Airstrip
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N40475
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 4,400 total · 500 in this make and model · 4,200 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N389LA
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 4, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 2,082 total · 483 in this make and model · 2,047 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- JBR, 17 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 6, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.