Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beaver, Utah 84713
Thursday, January 15, 2009 8:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While maneuvering during an aerial application flight, the pilot noted that the engine began to vibrate and lose power. During the forced landing, the airplane nosed over on the snow-covered terrain. The airplane was recovered from the accident site and examined. No internal engine components were found to have malfunctioned. One of the propeller blade's pitch change pins was observed sheared.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a sheared propeller blade's pitch change link. Contributing to the accident was lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Beaver
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84713
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381132N
Event Location Longitude 1123020W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 852 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID MLF
Elevation of weather observation facility 5039
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.42
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMLF 151552Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M07/M08 A
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) 26251
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO, Salt Lake City, Utah
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 23 2009 3:00PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3170C
NTSB Number WPR09LA085
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 INC
Aircraft Model AT-301
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0591
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name FLYING B AVIATION LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 501 W 90 S
Aircraft Owner City SALEM
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84653-9156
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code HNXG
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 HNXG765E
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 U52
Departure City Beaver
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code U52
Destination City Beaver
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2009 5:24PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --