Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New Miner, Wisconsin 54921
Saturday, August 22, 2009 16:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported a complete loss of engine power about 15 minutes after takeoff during an agricultural application pass. He executed a forced landing into a tree plantation adjacent to the agricultural field. A postaccident inspection of the engine revealed that the torsion shaft had separated near the forward bushing journal. The fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with fatigue failure. In addition, chromium plating was observed at all three bearing journals. Further examination by NTSB materials engineers determined that the torsion shaft fractured due to fatigue that was likely initiated by cracks in the chromium plate repair of the shaft. The plating itself was porous with radial cracks at all journal locations. Records indicated that the torsion shaft was newly overhauled when it was installed in the engine, about 3 1/2 years prior to the accident. However, detailed records related to the overhaul work were not available and the source of the chrome plating could not be determined. The engine manufacturer stated that chrome plating was not specified for production parts, nor was it permitted during component overhaul. A service bulletin recommending replacement of the torsion shaft had not been completed. The bulletin recommended replacement of the original (long) torsion shaft with a shorter shaft. The bulletin noted that the long torsion shafts were susceptible to bushing and bushing journal wear, which would be reduced by installation of the short torsion shafts.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the engine torsion shaft. Contributing to the accident was the chrome plating of the shaft by an undetermined maintenance/overhaul facility.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/22/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1615 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | New Miner |
| Event State | WISCONSIN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 54921 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 440923N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0900021W |
| Event Location Airport | Private |
| 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 | 26 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 35 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ISW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1021 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| 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) | 26740 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 25 2010 6:21PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3651R |
| NTSB Number | CEN09LA602 |
| 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-301A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 301-0261 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6308 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7209 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JP'S AGRICAIR INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | BANCROFT |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 54921-9798 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | JP'S AGRICAIR INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | BANCROFT |
| Operator State | WI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 54921-9798 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVT |
| Departure City | Bancroft |
| Departure State | WI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PVT |
| Destination City | Bancroft |
| Destination State | WI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 17 2010 10:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |