Air Tractor AT-802A N6044A

Summary

On 11 October 1999 at about 22:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N6044A was involved in an accident near Lamesa, Texas, 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

11 October 1999 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lamesa, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Lamesa Municipal (2F5)

Coordinates

32.7298, -101.9492

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N6044A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW00LA030

Nobody was injured.

The separation of the rudder control cable at the aft fairlead, as a result of wear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was departing from runway 16 for a local aerial application flight, when the pilot heard a 'loud bang,' and 'the right rudder pedal fell to the floor.' The airplane veered to the left, exited the runway, ground-looped, and came to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right rudder cable separated at the aft fairlead. Examination of the rudder cable by the NTSB Materials Laboratory revealed that the individual separated strands of the cable had a flat and shiny appearance, indicative of wear. The wear was primarily on one side of the cable, extending around 90 degrees of the cable's circumference. Air Tractor issued a service letter on August 27, 1999, advising operators of rudder cable wear at the aft fairlead on the AT-802 and AT-802A. The service letter stated that a new cable, which incorporated a stainless steel sleeve that is crimped to the cable in the area of the fairlead, was available. The operator was aware of the service letter, but had not replaced the rudder cables.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.