Air Tractor AT 400 N136DB

Summary

On 26 March 2015 at about 19:55 local time, a Air Tractor AT 400 registered N136DB, operated by Devil Dusters Inc, was involved in an accident near Levelland, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 March 2015 at 19:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Levelland, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Levelland Municipal Airport (KLLN)

Coordinates

33.5525, -102.3725

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 400

Registration

N136DB

Category

Airplane

Year built

1983

Engines

1

Operator

Devil Dusters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Levelland → Levelland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA182

1 person was seriously injured.

The in-flight separation of the left aileron's attachment hardware at the connection between the long aileron pushrod and the left aileron bellcrank. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel’s improper installation of, or failure to install, the left aileron attachment hardware.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff on a postmaintenance test flight, the flight controls felt "stiff." The pilot flew a traffic pattern and intended to conduct a precautionary landing on the runway. However, after the pilot turned the airplane to the final leg in the traffic pattern, the airplane started to roll left. While attempting to level the wings, the pilot observed the left aileron traveling up and down. During the landing, the airplane bounced twice, rolled left, and then cartwheeled. The airplane had undergone extensive maintenance throughout the year before the accident, and, during this maintenance, maintenance personnel reinstalled the ailerons. The accident flight was the first flight following this maintenance. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the hardware that attached the long aileron pushrod to the aileron bellcrank was not present, and the hardware was not found at the accident site; therefore, it could not be determined whether new or existing hardware was installed during the recent maintenance. However, given that the flight control malfunction occurred immediately following the extensive maintenance, it is likely that maintenance personnel either did not install the attachment hardware at all or did not install it properly, either of which would have resulted in the loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.