Richie Crockett Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dexter, New Mexico 88230
Saturday, August 9, 2008 10:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was landing at the airstrip to refill the hopper with chemical. The airplane went off the side of the runway and ground looped. The left main landing gear was torn off, the left wing tip was scraped, and the left aileron was bent. The pilot reported no control malfunction or other anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. According the repair facility spokesman, there was no way of determining if the the landing gear had been bent previously or if there was a discrepancy with the toe-in.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Dexter
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88230
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331600N
Event Location Longitude 1042313W
Event Location Airport Richie Crockett Airstrip
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 3465
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID ROW
Elevation of weather observation facility 3671
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 24475
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2009 8:38AM
User who most recently changed record grol
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albuquerque, New Mexico

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4555Y
NTSB Number DEN08CA136
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-402
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 402-0812
Certified Max Gross Weight 7860
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Summers Spraying Srevice, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5701 E. County Road 98
Aircraft Owner City Midland
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79706
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Summers Spraying Srevice, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 5701 E. County Road 98
Operator City Midland
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 79706
Operator Code --
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 --
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 NONE
Departure City Dexter
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Dexter
Destination State NM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2008 5:39PM
User who most recently changed record scoa
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --