- Date
- May 14, 1982, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mcallen, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8523SAir Tractor 301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820514018189A
- Case key
- 71616
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 pilot reported that the engine failed shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was substantially damaged when it hit a canal bank at the end of the airstrip. According to the operator, the blower section failed which resulted in the loss of power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8523S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor 301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0135
- Airframe hours
- 1,185
- Engine
- Pratt/Whitney R-1340, 585 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 137
- Operator
- Troy Ledbetter
- Registered owner
- Troy Ledbetter
- Departed
- Mcallen, TX
- Destination
- Mcallen, TX
- Airport
- Airstrip, runway 9, 1,000 × 50 ft, gravel
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 6,749 total · 488 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 176 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8523S · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.