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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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August 29, 2018 · Air Tractor AT 301 No Series · N3164K

Partridge, KS

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 29, 2018
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Partridge, KS
Aircraft
Air Tractor AT 301 No Series (1984)
Tail Number
N3164K
Operator
Ag Air Service
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN18LA356

The commercial pilot reported that he had been flying for about 1 hour and was returning to the airport when the engine lost total power while the airplane was about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl). Although the engine momentarily regained power twice, for about 3 seconds each time when he used the manual fuel pump, the airplane continued to lose altitude. He attempted to land on a road but was unable to properly align the airplane's flightpath with the road. The airplane stalled about 20 ft agl, contacted the road, and bounced before coming to rest in an adjacent field, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. A postaccident engine examination did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Full Narrative

On August 29, 2018, about 1323 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301 airplane, N3164K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Partridge, Kansas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Ag Air Services Inc. as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the Hutchison Regional Airport (HUT) about 1220.The pilot reported that he had been flying for about 1 hour and was returning to the airport when the engine lost power. The airplane was about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) at the time. He noted that the engine regained power momentarily twice – for about 3 seconds each time – when he used the manual fuel pump. However, the airplane continued to lose altitude and he abandoned further restart attempts to focus on the forced landing. He attempted to land on a road, but he was unable to properly align the airplane's flight path with the remaining altitude. The airplane aerodynamically stalled about 20 ft agl, contacted the road, and bounced before coming to rest in an adjacent agricultural field. The airplane sustained damage to the left wing. The operator recovered the airplane from the accident site. He stated that 29 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane during recovery. A postrecovery engine examination performed by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preaccident failure or malfunction. The engine driven fuel pump was removed and tested. It operated normally when operated with an electric drill. The airframe fuel screens were intact and free of debris or sediment. The airplane was not equipped with an electric fuel pump. The only backup fuel pump was the manual pump.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:23 CDT
Nearest AirportHutchinson Regional (12nm WSW)
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAir Tractor AT 301 No Series
Tail NumberN3164K
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorAg Air Service
Operating RulePart 137
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsPratt & Whitney · R1340-AN1 · Reciprocating · 600
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 24 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind5 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F
Altimeter30.09 inHg
Observation Time18:52

Appendix: Source Data