N629LA

Substantial
None

AIR TRACTOR AT-602S/N: 602-0629

Accident Details

Date
Monday, April 30, 2007
NTSB Number
DFW07CA104
Location
Benoit, MS
Event ID
20070529X00646
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the crops which resulted in a ground loop. A contributing factor was the narrow airstrip

Aircraft Information

Registration
N629LA
Make
AIR TRACTOR
Serial Number
602-0629
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Year Built
2001
Model / ICAO
AT-602AT6T
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
PRO-AGR INC
Address
27 E LIBERTY LN
Status
Deregistered
City
DANVILLE
State / Zip Code
IL 61832-1440
Country
United States

Analysis

The right spray boom from the tailwheel equipped agricultural airplane became entangled with tall wheat while landing on a narrow gravel airstrip. The 2,236-hour commercial pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 128 hours in the same make and model of airplane, lost control of the airplane resulting in a ground-loop. The aft section of the fuselage sustained structural damage. The turbine powered airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit unassisted. The wheat was displaced approximately four feet from the airstrip's left edge and was growing adjacent to the right edge. Earlier that day, the pilot reported that he had observed wheat entangled in the right spray boom following two previous landings on the same airstrip. An examination of the airplane's right wheel at the accident site revealed that it was free to rotate and that the right brake was not dragging. The wind velocity at the time of the accident was reported between 1 to 3 knots.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW07CA104