Air Tractor AT 402B N80060

Summary

On 11 October 2017 at about 23:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT 402B registered N80060 was involved in an accident near Brawley, California, 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 2017 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Brawley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip (NA)

Coordinates

32.9603, -115.3669

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 402B

Registration

N80060

Category

Airplane

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brawley → Brawley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA010

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, a wind gust abruptly lifted the right wing. The pilot attempted to correct with control inputs but was unsuccessful. The airplane continued to veer to the left and came to a stop in a canal. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 160° at 4 knots. The pilot reported that he landed to the east.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.