- Date
- June 9, 1983, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lane City, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N31619Air Tractor AT-400A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830609024569A
- Case key
- 20733
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 plt was leading a flt of 2 acft on an aerial application mission. The plt of the 2nd acft stated that at the end of a swath run, the lead acft pulled up to an almost vertical attitude & to an alt of between 300 & 400 ft AGL. At that time, the plane stalled & continued over onto its back, then entered an inverted spin. Reportedly, the spin continued for about 1 1/2 turns until the acft impacted the ground in a steep nose down, slightly inverted, attitude. An investigation revealed that the plt was highly qualified in ag operations, but had only recently started flying turbined power acft. Reportedly, he had received no formal training in this model of the acft nor in the operating characteristics of turbine engs. An exam of the wreckage was made, but no preimpact, mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31619
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-400A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 400A-0499
- Airframe hours
- 73
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-20, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- 0obert R. Shanks
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1983 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- Wharton, TX
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 13,397 total · 73 in this make and model · 13,397 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HOU, 58 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.