Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edmore, North Dakota 58330
Saturday, July 28, 2001 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted a ditch and nosed over during takeoff from a road. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right outboard wheel half, right tire, and right tire inner tube had separated from the airframe. No other anomalies were found that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. Three of the right wheel through bolts were recovered from the accident scene. Two of the recovered bolts had stripped threads and a third was fractured in the threaded portion of the bolt. The left wheel was examined and was found intact. Seven of the through bolts that hold the left wheel halves together were found to have been over-torqued. The torque readings were from 125 to 175 inch-pounds on these bolts. The specified torque as printed on the wheel is 90 inch-pounds. The remaining two bolts were found to be stripped. One of the through bolts was found to be a coarse thread bolt. The bolts specified for attaching the wheel halves are AN4 fine thread bolts.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The incorrect installation of the wheel assembly bolts by maintenance personnel resulting in the stripped bolt threads and ultimate failure of the wheel, and directional control not possible by the pilot. A factor was the ditch

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/28/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Edmore
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58330
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID DVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1455
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 11312
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 28 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1912
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2002 7:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fargo, North Dakota

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4361S
NTSB Number CHI01LA252
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-301
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0041
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 May 20 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 310
Airframe Hours 5000
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark D. Brekke
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9779 Highway 17
Aircraft Owner City Edmore
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58330
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Edmore
Departure State ND
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
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 Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2001 10:47AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --