Hatton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hatton, North Dakota 58240
Thursday, May 18, 1995 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE PRIVATE SOD AIRSTRIP TO PICK UP ANOTHER LOAD OF CHEMICALS TO SPRAY A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON THE INITIAL PART OF THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL BEGAN TO RISE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOWER THE TAIL, THE PILOT APPLIED ELEVATOR PRESSURE. AS HE APPLIED PRESSURE, THE TAIL WHEEL LOCKED UP AND HE LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER AROUND AN EXTREMELY WET AREA ON THE RUNWAY. UPON REACHING THIS WET AREA, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT DUE TO THE SOFT, WET CONDITION OF THE SOD RUNWAY, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET OF THE RUNWAY WAS UNUSABLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HIS APPROACH AIRSPEED TO LAND WAS A LITTLE TOO FAST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, and the excessive airspeed. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, and the soft, wet condition of the sod runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HATTON
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58240
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HATTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 50 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 844
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 183
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48532
NTSB Number CHI95LA152
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 62B
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 11 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 3478
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARVID H. MICHAELIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 543
Aircraft Owner City MAYVILLE
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58257
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 500
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --