Accident Air Tractor AT-402B N402PR,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 343050
 
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Date:Saturday 29 July 2023
Time:08:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic AT3T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Air Tractor AT-402B
Owner/operator:Barts Flying Service Inc
Registration: N402PR
MSN: 402B-1282
Year of manufacture:2013
Total airframe hrs:1679 hours
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15HE
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Alta, IA -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Agricultural
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot reported that he was completing an aerial application flight over a cultivated field. During the fourth pass, the airplane encountered a dust devil (also called a whirlwind), lost lift and impacted powerlines. Upon impact with the powerlines the rudder separated from the airplane and the airplane began a left turn. Unable to arrest the turn, the pilot reduced power and made a forced landing to the field that he was spraying. Upon touch down the left main landing gear separated from the fuselage and the airplane slid to a stop.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, vertical stabilizer and rudder. The operator reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
A review of the Federal Aviation Administration Aviation (FAA) Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28) and the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual found no detailed information listed about dust devils or the potential hazards of flying through dust devils.

Probable Cause: The airplane's encounter with a dust devil, which resulted in a loss of lift, and subsequent collision with powerlines.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN23LA336
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CEN23LA336
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=402PR

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
01-Aug-2023 06:22 AgOps Added
06-Dec-2023 14:10 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
06-Dec-2023 14:18 harro Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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