Air Tractor AT-301 N8789S

Summary

On 31 March 1999 at about 23:15 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N8789S was involved in an accident near Garwood, Texas, 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

31 March 1999 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Garwood, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

A.n.f Air Service (NONE)

Coordinates

29.4495, -96.5107

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N8789S

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

FTW99LA107

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the airplane as result of the failure of the right brake system due to the stripped threads on the eye bolt connecting the brake pedal to the brake master cylinder.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot lost control of the agricultural airplane during the landing roll following the failure of the right wheel brake system. The pilot initially applied brake pressure to slow down the airplane's landing roll. When the pilot attempted to re-apply brake pressure, the right brake pedal 'fell all the way to the floorboard.' The airplane made a gradual left turn, which the pilot could not compensate for with an inoperative right brake. The left wing impacted a concrete pole located on the west side of the airstrip. The FAA inspector stated that the failure of the right brake was due to the eye bolt, which connects the brake master cylinder to the top portion of the rudder pedal, pulling out to the master cylinder. The operator stated that the only possible way for the eye bolt to become separated from the master cylinder was for the eye bolt to 'pull out' of the threaded hole in the brake master cylinder. The operator reported that the time in service for the failed part was unknown. He added that the bottom 2 or 3 threads of the eye bolt appeared to be damaged or stripped, which 'could have resulted in the eye bolt pulling out' of the cylinder.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.