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August 27, 2015 · Air Tractor AT 502B · N61267

Monroe, NE

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 27, 2015
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Monroe, NE
Aircraft
Air Tractor AT 502B (1995)
Tail Number
N61267
Operator
Red Willow Aviation Spraying
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN15LA389

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.

NTSB Probable Cause

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.

Full Narrative

On August 27, 2015, about 1200 central daylight time, an Air Tractor, AT-502B, single-engine turboprop airplane, N61267, had a partial loss of engine power during low-altitude maneuvering flight and impacted terrain near Monroe, Nebraska. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the horizontal stabilizer, and elevator. The airplane was registered to, and was operated by Red Willow Aviation Spraying, Inc.; McCook, Nebraska, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed for the local flight which had departed about 1130 from Genoa Municipal Airport (97Y), Genoa, Nebraska.The pilot was seeding a cover crop into corn when he experienced a partial loss of engine power. The engine instruments showed the engine was operating, but was producing less than idle power. The pilot pushed the throttle to full power, with no effect. At that point, he knew he had to land. The pilot turned the airplane into the wind and lowered the flaps. As he heard corn start hitting the bottom of the airplane, the pilot pulled the control stick full aft to stall the airplane. The left wing dropped, the airplane turned 90 degrees, and impacted the ground sideways. The right wing subsequently struck the ground and the airplane came to rest upright. The engine continued to run until the pilot shut it down and exited the airplane. An examination of the wreckage showed there was adequate fuel on-board, there was no fuel spill, and no postimpact fire. The airplane's engine and propeller governor were examined and no anomalies were found. The fuel control unit and fuel pump were removed and sent to the manufacturer in Prague, Czech Republic, for examination. A Turbine Start Limit and Monitor (TSLM) and a USB thumb drive, which contained Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data from a GPS unit on board the airplane, were sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder's Laboratory for examination. The examination of the fuel control unit and fuel pump revealed no anomalies. The GPS data on the USB thumb drive was examined and did not include the accident flight. The TSLM, which monitors internal turbine temperature, N1, N2, torque, oil pressure, and bus voltage, and records at engine startup and when the parameters are exceeded, recorded 74 events. Event 74 was triggered by the N1 parameter being set above the user set upper limit. The exceedance ended 1.5 seconds into the event. Following the exceedance, the internal turbine temperature, N1, and N2 (propeller rpm) decreased over time, consistent with a lower output by the engine. The TSLM data was reviewed by the engine manufacturer who concluded that the propeller went into feather either by an incorrect pilot command or a governor problem. The manufacturer also noted the engine was being operated above the manual temperature limits at the time of the event and the internal turbine temperature and core speed did not correlate correctly. The manufacturer could only attribute that to scaling of the data or improper engine operation.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time12:00 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAir Tractor AT 502B
Tail NumberN61267
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorRed Willow Aviation Spraying
Operating RulePart 137
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsWalter · M601E11 · Turboprop
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 38 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind120° @ 9 kt, gusting 14 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F
Altimeter29.97 inHg
Observation Time16:55
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data