- Date
- August 3, 2023, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Jamestown, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6015WAir Tractor AT-401
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230803011709A
- Case key
- 192789
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 proper airspeed after liftoff, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 5
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 purpose of the flight was to ferry the airplane that the pilot had never flown. During takeoff roll on the narrow (10 ft wide) runway, the pilot advanced the throttle slowly, which resulted in the airplane’s slow acceleration. As the end of the runway approached, the pilot selected full throttle and the airplane lifted off the ground at a slow airspeed. As the airplane climbed out of ground effect, the pilot did not increase airspeed adequately due, in part, to his concern of power lines off the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently entered an aerodynamic stall and impacted terrain, which substantially damaged the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot likely did not maintain proper airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. The pilot attributed his lack of familiarity with the airplane and the narrow runway as factors to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6015W
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 401-0947
- Built
- 1994
- Engine
- Walter M601E-11, 657 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Remmick Darwin R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- PRI · Jamestown, ND
- Destination
- OQW · Maquoketa, IA
- Airport
- PRI · Central Ag Spraying, runway 03, 2,600 × 10 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display
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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2022
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 754 total · 0 in this make and model · 597 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KJMS, 2 nm away
- METAR
- KJMS 031356Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR 24/20 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP166 T02440200
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.5 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.