- Date
- August 5, 2008, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Herreid, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3161AAir Tractor 301
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Rapid City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080805843259A
- Case key
- 68924
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
Failure of one of the tailwheel bolts on landing and the pilot's subsequent inability to maintain directional control.
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 returned for landing in the tailwheel configured airplane after an agricultural application flight. He executed a normal landing on runway 12 (2,230 feet by 200 feet, asphalt/turf) and kept the tail up as long as possible as the airplane slowed. The pilot stated that when the tailwheel touched down it felt as if the tail was dragging on the ground and the airplane drifted to the right. He applied opposite rudder but was unable to stop the drift. He subsequently applied the brakes, which spun the airplane around and brought it to a stop partially off the runway. The pilot reported that after the accident he observed a bolt securing the tailwheel had failed. The bolt was discarded and was not available for further examination. The pilot commented that he will proactively inspect and replace the tailwheel bolts before each spray season.
Factual narrative
The pilot returned for landing in the tailwheel configured airplane after an agricultural application flight. He executed a normal landing on runway 12 (2,230 feet by 200 feet, asphalt/turf) and kept the tail up as long as possible as the airplane slowed. The pilot stated that when the tailwheel touched down it felt as if the tail was dragging on the ground and the airplane drifted to the right. He applied opposite rudder but was unable to stop the drift. He subsequently applied the brakes, which spun the airplane around and brought it to a stop partially off the runway. The pilot reported that after the accident he observed a bolt securing the tailwheel had failed. The bolt was discarded and was not available for further examination. The pilot commented that he will proactively inspect and replace the tailwheel bolts before each spray season.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3161A
- Reported as
- Air Tractor 301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AT-301-0481
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Diebert Ag Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 2008
- Departed
- 5T4 · Herreid, SD
- Airport
- 5T4 · Herreid Muni, runway 12, 2,320 × 200 ft, grass/turf
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2008
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 723 total · 723 in this make and model · 602 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- BMG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.