CHI07LA246

NTSB accident investigation · Air Tractor AT-502B · Hampton, IA · August 1, 2007

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 1, 2007, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
Place
Hampton, IA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N50877Air Tractor AT-502B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 28, 2008
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Des Moines, Iowa FSDO
FAA report
20070801017519A
Case key
66560

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was a ditch.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - aborted
Aborted landing - attemptedPilot in command
Terrain condition - ditchFactor

Analysis

The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a ditch along the edge of the runway during an aborted landing. The pilot reported that there was a right 45 degree crosswind at 20 knots which decreased just as he was touching down. The airplane then yawed to the right and the pilot applied power to execute an aborted landing. The airplane subsequently became airborne and crossed over the ditch along the right side of the runway. The airplane settled to the ground and the left wing tip struck the ditch edge. The airplane subsequently spun to the left, the right landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid across the runway.

Factual narrative

On August 1, 2007, about 0915 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B, operated by Keller Flying Service, and piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during an aborted landing on runway 17 (4,018 feet by 75 feet), at the Hampton Municipal Airport (HPT), Hampton, Iowa. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. No injuries were reported. The local flight originated at an unconfirmed time.

The pilot stated that while landing on runway 17 at HPT the winds were about 20 knots from the southwest. He said that just as he was touching down the wind speed decreased, which resulted in the airplane yawing to the right. He said that the tires began to skip and he applied power to execute a go-around. He stated that as he crossed the ditch along the right side of the runway the airplane settled to the ground and the left wing tip struck the ditch. The airplane subsequently spun to the left, the right landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid across the runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N50877
Reported as
Air Tractor AT-502B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
502B-0472
Engine
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner
Keller Flying Service, LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Departed
HPT · Hampton, IA
Airport
HPT · Hampton Muni, runway 17, 4,018 × 75 ft, concrete

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
57
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Center

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
225° at 20 knots

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.