- Date
- May 8, 2016, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oberlin, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6181QAir Tractor AT 502
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160508005309A
- Case key
- 93134
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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in runway excursion, and a ground loop.
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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, as the airplane slowed down, the tailwheel lifted off the ground. He further reported that the airplane veered to the right despite left rudder and brake application, exited the runway, and ground looped. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, as the airplane slowed down, the tailwheel lifted off the ground. He further reported that the airplane veered to the right despite left rudder and brake application, exited the runway, and ground looped. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6181Q
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 502 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-0395
- Built
- 1996
- Airframe hours
- 2,882
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney 34AG-PT6A, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Kelly Sykora
- Registered owner
- Pioneer Agviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 8, 2016
- Departed
- OIN · Oberlin, KS
- Destination
- OIN · Oberlin, KS
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- OIN · Oberlin Muni, runway 35, 3,501 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,058 total · 410 in this make and model · 836 as pilot in command · 31.2 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.59 inHg
- Observed at
- KMCK, 22 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 12, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
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 N6181Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.