WPR11CA222

NTSB accident investigation · Thrush S2R-T34 · Pleasant Grove, CA · May 11, 2011

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 11, 2011, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Pleasant Grove, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N510CWThrush S2R-T34
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 3, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20110511008279A
Case key
79094

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing.

Findings · 3

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedThrush S2R-T34: 1 caseAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcomeThrush S2R-T34: 1 caseAll aircraft: 594 cases
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotThrush S2R-T34: 1 caseAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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 stated that he had just completed spraying a field and was landing to the north with what he estimated to be a 12-mile-per-hour tailwind. As the airplane touched down on the main wheels with the tailwheel off the ground, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane back toward the runway, but it continued to veer left towards a berm. He added full power to attempt to abort the landing, but collided with a trailer near the departure end of the runway. The nearest weather reporting station, located about 8.5 nautical miles south of the accident site, reported wind from 180 degrees at 16 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight. The pilot stated that the reloading and refueling equipment is located at the north end of the airstrip and that they always land to the north and take off to the south to save time.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that he had just completed spraying a field and was landing to the north with what he estimated to be a 12 mile per hour tailwind. As the airplane touched down on the main wheels with the tailwheel off the ground, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane back toward the runway, but it continued to veer left towards a berm. He added full power to attempt to abort the landing, but collided with a trailer near the departure end of the runway. At the time of the accident, the nearest weather reporting station, located about 8.5 nm to the south of the accident site reported wind from 180 degrees at 16 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight. The pilot noted that the reloading and refueling equipment is located at the north end of the airstrip and they always land to the north and takeoff to the south to save time.

Aircraft

Registration
N510CW
Reported as
Thrush S2R-T34
Category
Airplane
Serial number
T34-277
Engine
P&W PT6A SERIES, 500 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Operator
Farm Air Flying Services Inc.
Registered owner
Farm Air Flying Services Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · April 30, 2011
Departed
pvt · Pleasant Grove, CA
Destination
pvt · Pleasant Grove, CA
Airport
pvt · West Catlet Private Airstrip, runway 36, 2,400 × 60 ft, asphalt

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
49
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 1, 2009
Seat
Single
Flight hours
8,428 total · 879 in this make and model · 8,305 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 95 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
166° at 16 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
66 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Observed at
SMF, 85 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 27, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 650 KB 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.