# NTSB CEN13LA486: Air Tractor AT-400, N36538, Dumas, AR, August 9, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 9, 2013, 11:20 local (16:20 UTC) - Place: Dumas, AR - Coordinates: 33.884445, -91.534164 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8844&lon=-91.5342&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 87773 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA486 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87773/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87773 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA486 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-400, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=0390202), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-400, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=0390202), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-400, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0390202), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-400, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0390202), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed to conduct a maintenance test flight in the airplane after completion of an annual inspection. The pilot stated that the flight was normal; however, when the tailwheel touched down after landing, the airplane veered to the left and departed the runway. Examination of the tailwheel assembly did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On August 9, 2013, about 1130 central daylight time, an Air Tractor Inc AT-400, N36538, impacted terrain when it veered off the runway during landing rollout at Billy Free Municipal Airport (0M0), near Dumas, Arkansas. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage near the tail wheel. The commercial pilot was uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by D & M Flying Service Inc under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a maintenance test flight that was not operating on a flight plan. The local flight originated at 1110. The pilot stated that he arrived at OMO at 1040 to pick up and fly the airplane home after it had undergone an annual inspection. The mechanic who performed the inspection requested the pilot perform a maintenance test flight of the airplane. At 1110, the pilot used runway 18 to depart on the flight and flew the airplane for about 5 minutes. The pilot stated that the airplane performed as expected, and the temperature and pressures were normal. The pilot then returned to the departure airport and landed on runway 36. As the tail wheel touched down onto the runway surface, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot attempted, but was unable, to regain control of the airplane. The airplane came to a stop on the west side of the runway, in a southerly direction. Examination of the tail wheel assembly by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Little Rock Flight Standards District Office revealed that the tail wheel had been assembled correctly. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N36538](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36538-2018-05-18), registration cancelled 2018-05-18, S/N 400-0280 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR AT-400 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-400](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-400) (registry code 0390202) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 400-0280 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG 680 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Operator: D & M Flying Service Inc - Registered owner: D & M Flying Service Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 9, 2013 - Departed: 0M0, Dumas, AR - Destination: 0M0, Dumas, AR - Airport: 0M0, Billy Free Memorial Airport, runway 36, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 18,800 total, 1,445 in this make and model, 18,740 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: LLQ, 19 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130809015629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130809015629A), Aug 9, 2013: Air Tractor Inc AT-400, Dumas, AR, Substantial damage. On 08/09/2013, N36538 landed at Billy Free Municipal Airport (omo) and departed the runway. Aircraft was being operated by a commercially rated pilot with a… ## Other investigations on N36538 (2) 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 FTW97LA245](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA245), Jun 11, 1997: Air Tractor AT-400A (N36538), Church Point, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improperly performed short field takeoff procedures. - [NTSB FTW81FQG25](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW81FQG25), May 1, 1981: Air Tractor AT400 (N36538), Patricia, TX, substantial damage ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87773. 450 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 450 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405800&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.