Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Veblen, South Dakota 57270
Thursday, June 24, 1999 7:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said on his fourth spray pass, he encountered air that did not seem '...to have much lift to it' and he was adding power to climb the accident airplane above trees. He said he had applied full power as he got closer to the trees and the airplane started settling downward once over the tree line. He stated the airplane settled and contacted the ground. The engine was torn off the fuselage, along with the landing gear and tail wheel. The pilot stated the fuselage came to rest on a southeasterly direction. The pilot stated 'dumping the load' was his recommendation on how this accident could have been prevented.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

was the pilot not maintaining clearance from terrain. A factor was the pilot not performing a load jettison.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City VEBLEN
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57270
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 756 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 63
Weather Observation Facility ID ABR
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 106
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 558
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 24 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2211
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3159M
NTSB Number CHI99LA193
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 Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-301
Aircraft Series Identifier AT-301
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0468
Certified Max Gross Weight 5000
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 Apr 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 106
Airframe Hours 3187
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAKOTA AG SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 941
Aircraft Owner City BRITTON
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57430
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 DAKG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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 No
Departure Airport Code BTN
Departure City BRITTON
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --