- Date
- August 12, 2008, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ida Grove, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N45029Air Tractor AT-401
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- DSM FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080812843809A
- Case key
- 68904
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
A failure of the turbocharger blower which resulted in the partial loss of power. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude of the airplane and the embankment.
Findings · 2
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 pilot stated that the engine was producing 36 inches of manifold pressure and 2,250 rpm during the initial takeoff. Shortly after takeoff, he noticed the airplane was not climbing and the manifold pressure dropped to 28 inches or less. The pilot landed the airplane in a soybean field and after a ground roll of about 100 feet, the airplane contacted an embankment. The airplane twisted to the right and became airborne for a distance of approximately 100 feet prior to contacting the terrain and sliding to a stop. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the turbocharger blower had failed.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 2008, at 1730 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-401, N45029, collided with the terrain during an off airport forced landing in Ida Grove, Iowa. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to both wings and the aft fuselage. The aerial application flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Ida Grove Municipal Airport (IDG), Ida Grove, Iowa, just prior to the accident.
The pilot stated that the engine was producing 36 inches of manifold pressure and 2,250 rpm during the initial takeoff. Shortly after takeoff, he noticed the airplane was not climbing and the manifold pressure dropped to 28 inches or less. The pilot landed the airplane in a soybean field and after a ground roll of about 100 feet, the airplane contacted an embankment. The airplane twisted to the right and became airborne for a distance of approximately 100 feet prior to contacting the terrain and sliding to a stop.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the turbocharger blower had failed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45029
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 401-0747
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R1340AN-1, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Styron Aerial Application
- Registered owner
- 1 Lowflyer Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- IDG · Ida Grove, IA
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 2,658 total · 905 in this make and model · 2,590 as pilot in command · 313 in the last 90 days · 160 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- SUX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.