Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glendo, Wyoming 82213
Friday, June 27, 2003 10:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was performing aerial application at low altitude. The pilot reported that the airplane failed to respond as expected during his pull-up and turn. The pilot said he chose to perform an emergency landing to avoid rising terrain. The airplane struck trees and the terrain causing substantial damage to the right wing, undercarriage, and fuselage. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. Approximately 200 gallons of chemical was recovered from the airplane's hopper. Density altitude at the time of the accident was 6,506 feet mean sea level.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude, the high density altitude, and the trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Glendo
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82213
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423001N
Event Location Longitude 1044905W
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 953 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID DGW
Elevation of weather observation facility 4929
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) 6506
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14245
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Jun 27 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Casper, Wyoming

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4406S
NTSB Number DEN03LA112
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 AT3010066
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 Aug 9 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 191
Airframe Hours 6042
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Frontier Aviation
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. Box 594
Aircraft Owner City Pine Bluffs
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82082
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 No
Departure Airport Code EAN
Departure City Wheatland
Departure State WY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 21 2003 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
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 --