Air Tractor AT-401 N1524H

Summary

On 23 March 1998 at about 17:45 local time, a Air Tractor AT-401 registered N1524H was involved in an accident near Steele, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 March 1998 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Steele, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Steele Municipal (M12)

Coordinates

36.0806, -89.8391

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-401

Registration

N1524H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Caruthersville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA108

Nobody was injured.

the pilot failed to maintain an adequate visual lookout. A factor was the pile of gravel in the taxiway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that it was his first flight to the airport for the year. He reported the airport was used primarily by aerial applicator pilots. He reported the customary practice at the airport during the spraying season was for the airplanes to land on the taxiway and takeoff on the runway. He made a straight-in approach to the runway from the south. He landed on the taxiway and during the landing roll-out, the airplane hit a pile of gravel that had been dumped in the center of the taxiway, midway from the approach and departure ends of the taxiway. He reported that if he had made a standard downwind entry into the traffic pattern, he would have most probably seen the piles of gravel on the taxiway. The airport manager reported the gravel had been dumped on the taxiway for airport reconstruction that was in progress. The manager reported that there had not been much traffic at the airport recently. He reported that a NOTAM had not been issued for the closed taxiway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.