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| Date: | Saturday 16 August 1997 |
| Time: | 20:30 LT |
| Type: |  Air Tractor AT-301 |
| Owner/operator: | Vernon Ag Service |
| Registration: | N2316X |
| MSN: | 301-0380 |
| Engine model: | P&W R-1340 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Vernon, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | (FO5) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that he was flying a swath run over a cotton field at dusk, when his airplane's engine 'lost most of its power.' He stated that he tried to land straight ahead, but 'had to pop-up over a road into the next field.' The next field was terraced. During the landing, the airplane impacted a terrace, which 'flipped the airplane over on its back.' The farmer, whose field was being sprayed, reported to the pilot that 'there was a vertical piece of irrigation pipe in the field that was bent.' The repair facility, where the engine was sent, reported that the number 5 cylinder had received damage when it was 'apparently struck or hit by something.'
Probable Cause: failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from an irrigation pipe. Factors relating to the accident were: the poor light condition at dusk, the object (vertical piece of irragation pipe), loss of engine power from foreign object damage, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW97LA317
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 7 November 2001 | N2316X | Brown Flying Service, Inc. | 0 | Anton, Texas | |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Mar-2024 11:18 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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