Air Tractor AT-401 N6015W

Summary

On 3 August 2023 at about 16:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-401 registered N6015W was involved in an accident near Jamestown, North Dakota, 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

3 August 2023 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Jamestown, North Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Central Ag Spraying (PRI)

Coordinates

46.9252, -98.7518

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-401

Registration

N6015W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1994

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jamestown → Maquoketa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA347

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed after liftoff, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was to ferry the airplane that the pilot had never flown. During takeoff roll on the narrow (10 ft wide) runway, the pilot advanced the throttle slowly, which resulted in the airplane’s slow acceleration. As the end of the runway approached, the pilot selected full throttle and the airplane lifted off the ground at a slow airspeed. As the airplane climbed out of ground effect, the pilot did not increase airspeed adequately due, in part, to his concern of power lines off the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently entered an aerodynamic stall and impacted terrain, which substantially damaged the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot likely did not maintain proper airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. The pilot attributed his lack of familiarity with the airplane and the narrow runway as factors to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.