Air Tractor AT 502B N61267

Summary

On 27 August 2015 at about 17:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT 502B registered N61267, operated by Red Willow Aviation Spraying Inc, was involved in an accident near Monroe, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 August 2015 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Monroe, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

41.5136, -97.6469

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 502B

Registration

N61267

Category

Airplane

Year built

1995

Engines

1

Operator

Red Willow Aviation Spraying Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Genoa → Genoa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA389

1 person had minor injuries.

Loss of propeller thrust for reasons that could not be determined, since examination of the airplane's engine, propeller, and associated accessories revealed no anomalies.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was performing an aerial application flight when the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power. The engine instruments showed that the engine was operating, but was producing less than idle power. The pilot applied full throttle with no effect. He subsequently turned the airplane into the wind, lowered the flaps, and when he heard corn hitting the bottom of the airplane, pulled the control stick full aft to stall the airplane. The left wing dropped and the airplane turned 90° as it impacted the ground. The engine continued to run until the pilot shut it down and exited the airplane. An examination of the airplane's engine, propeller governor, fuel control unit, and fuel pump revealed no anomalies. An engine data recorder showed an exceedance of the N1 upper limit, followed by a decrease in internal turbine temperature, N1, and propeller rpm, consistent with a lower output by the engine. The data were reviewed by the engine manufacturer, who concluded that the data were consistent with a feathered propeller; however, the reason for the propeller feathering could not be determined based on the available information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.