- Date
- May 28, 1995, 18:10 local (May 29, 1995, 00:10 UTC)
- Place
- Terreton, ID
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N31580Air Tractor AT-301A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 19, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950528017769A
- Case key
- 42156
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 an adequate altitude to overcome the downdraft. The downdraft was a factor.
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 stated that after making three aerial application passes, he encountered a very strong downdraft from an approaching thunder cell. He tried to correct the loss of altitude and airspeed by dumping the load and turning to lower terrain. He was unable to gain airspeed and altitude and struck the ground.
Factual narrative
On May 28, 1995, about 1810 mountain daylight time, N31580, an Air Tractor AT-301A airplane, operated by Desert Air Ag, Terreton, Idaho, collided with terrain while maneuvering during an aerial application and was substantially damaged in Terreton. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from Mud Lake, Idaho, and was conducted under 14 CFR 137.
According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from Salt Lake City, Utah, witnesses in the area reported gusting winds and thunderstorms in the vicinity of the accident site at the time the airplane was maneuvering over a field to spray herbicide. The pilot stated that after making three passes on the field, he encountered a very strong downdraft from an approaching thunder cell. He attempted to correct the loss of altitude and airspeed by dumping the load and turning to lower terrain. He was not successful in these attempts and the airplane could not gain enough airspeed to keep from striking the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage at impact with rocky terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31580
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0484
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Desert Air Ag
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Mud Lake, ID
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,940 total · 700 in this make and model · 1,854 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IDA
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 N31580 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.