# NTSB CEN18LA356: Air Tractor AT 301, N3164K, Partridge, KS, August 29, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 29, 2018, 13:23 local (18:23 UTC) - Place: Partridge, KS - Coordinates: 37.979442, -98.105003 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9794&lon=-98.1050&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 19, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 98187 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA356 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98187/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98187 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA356 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that he had been flying for about 1 hour and was returning to the airport when the engine lost total power while the airplane was about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl). Although the engine momentarily regained power twice, for about 3 seconds each time when he used the manual fuel pump, the airplane continued to lose altitude. He attempted to land on a road but was unable to properly align the airplane's flightpath with the road. The airplane stalled about 20 ft agl, contacted the road, and bounced before coming to rest in an adjacent field, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. A postaccident engine examination did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On August 29, 2018, about 1323 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301 airplane, N3164K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Partridge, Kansas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Ag Air Services Inc. as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the Hutchison Regional Airport (HUT) about 1220.The pilot reported that he had been flying for about 1 hour and was returning to the airport when the engine lost power. The airplane was about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) at the time. He noted that the engine regained power momentarily twice – for about 3 seconds each time – when he used the manual fuel pump. However, the airplane continued to lose altitude and he abandoned further restart attempts to focus on the forced landing. He attempted to land on a road, but he was unable to properly align the airplane's flight path with the remaining altitude. The airplane aerodynamically stalled about 20 ft agl, contacted the road, and bounced before coming to rest in an adjacent agricultural field. The airplane sustained damage to the left wing. The operator recovered the airplane from the accident site. He stated that 29 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane during recovery. A postrecovery engine examination performed by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preaccident failure or malfunction. The engine driven fuel pump was removed and tested. It operated normally when operated with an electric drill. The airframe fuel screens were intact and free of debris or sediment. The airplane was not equipped with an electric fuel pump. The only backup fuel pump was the manual pump. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3164K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3164K-2021-01-08), registration cancelled 2021-01-08, S/N 301-0535, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Air Tractor AT 301 (No Series) - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (registry code 0390103) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1340-an-1) (registry code 51612, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 301-0535 - Year built: 1984 - Airframe hours: 6578.2 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R1340-AN1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Ag Air Service Inc. - Registered owner: Phoenix Equipment LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 2018, 200 hours before - Departed: HUT, Hutchinson, KS - Destination: HUT, Hutchinson, KS - Airport: HUT, Hutchinson Regional - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 26, 2017; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 548 total, 208,215 in this make and model, 512 as pilot in command, 207 in the last 90 days, 105 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: HUT, 12 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 20180829012519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180829012519A), Aug 29, 2018: Air Tractor Inc AT-301, Partridge, KS, Substantial damage. At cruise with hopper empty, aircraft engine failed. Pilot used wobble pump and revived the engine twice for a few seconds. Then not enough altitude. Pilot… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 5, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98187. 4.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40471681&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records -- Airframe (Excerpt) (item 2, .PDF, 458 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40471682&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20--%20Airframe%20(Excerpt)-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records -- Engine (Excerpt) (item 3, .PDF, 358 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40471683&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20--%20Engine%20(Excerpt)-Master.PDF - Conversation Summary -- FAA Flight Standards (item 4, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40471684&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Conversation%20Summary%20--%20FAA%20Flight%20Standards-Master.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.