Air Tractor AT-301 N31677

Summary

On 25 June 1998 at about 14:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N31677 was involved in an accident near Ipswich, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 1998 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ipswich, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Rappe Field (SD25)

Coordinates

45.4406, -99.0206

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N31677

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA217

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions and his failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted in a stall/mush. Factors associated with the accident were the tailwind condition and the soft terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that shortly after rotating during a takeoff to the north, a sudden gust of wind from the south was experienced. He reported the airplane stalled and then 'mushed.' The airplane traveled off the end of the runway into a wet oat field where the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported the local winds were from the west at 6 knots. The 0856 cdt weather observation for Aberdeen, South Dakota, 19 miles east of the accident site, reported the winds were from 230 degrees at 7 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.