- Date
- August 23, 2006, 19:15 local (Aug 24, 2006, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Alliance, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N73006Air Tractor AT-400A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060823017199A
- Case key
- 64569
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 inadequate preflight inspection which led to the aircraft tow bar not being removed prior to flight.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was substantially damaged during takeoff when the tow bar came off and struck the tail of the airplane. The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection, he noticed that the tow bar was still attached to the airplane. He stated that he was distracted by an employee during the preflight. The tow bar was not removed prior to the flight.
Factual narrative
The airplane was substantially damaged during takeoff when the tow bar that was not removed came off and struck the tail of the airplane. The pilot reported that during the pre-flight inspection, he noticed that the tow bar was still attached to the airplane. He stated that he was distracted by an employee during the pre-flight. The tow bar was not removed prior to the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73006
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-400A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 400A-0501
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- AIA · Alliance, NE
- Airport
- AIA · Alliance Muni, runway 12, 9,202 × 150 ft
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 300 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.