- Date
- October 11, 2017, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Brawley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N80060Air Tractor AT 402B
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171011014529A
- Case key
- 96179
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 landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 in crosswind conditions, a wind gust abruptly lifted the right wing. The pilot attempted to correct with control inputs but was unsuccessful. The airplane continued to veer to the left and came to a stop in a canal. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 160° at 4 knots. The pilot reported that he landed to the east.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, a gust of wind abruptly lifted the right wing. The pilot attempted to correct with control inputs but was unsuccessful. The airplane continued to veer to the left and came to a stop in a canal. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 160° at 4 knots. The pilot reported that he landed to the east.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80060
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 402B (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402B-1355
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 190.4
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6-34AG, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 4, 2017
- Departed
- NA · Brawley, CA
- Destination
- NA · Brawley, CA
- Airport
- NA · Private Strip, runway 09, 2,400 × 120 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 7, 2017
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 300 in this make and model · 3,800 as pilot in command · 270 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.72 inHg
- Observed at
- KIPL, 13 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.