Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lewistown, Montana 59457
Friday, June 24, 2011 19:43 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight about 800 feet above ground level, the engine lost power, and he initiated a forced landing to an area of open, uneven terrain. During the landing roll, the left wing struck the ground and the airplane ground looped. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel bypass line was fractured and had separated from the fuel control unit. Metallurgical analysis revealed that the fuel bypass line fractured near a ferrule at the edge of the braze filler metal fillet. Striations on the fracture surface were consistent with a fatigue crack originating on the outside surface of the tube and propagating toward the inside surface and circumferentially around the tube wall. No maintenance records for the airplane were recovered during the course of the investigation, and, therefore, the amount of time and maintenance history on the line was undetermined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The fatigue fracture and separation of the fuel bypass line, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1943
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Lewistown
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59457
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 471021N
Event Location Longitude 1094017W
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 1954 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID LWT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) 29.84
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) 30579
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2012 8:04PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1022N
NTSB Number WPR11LA288
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR INC
Aircraft Model AT-502
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 502-0071
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SRB AERIAL APPLICATORS LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38921-0002
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SRB AERIAL APPLICATORS LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CHARLESTON
Operator State MS
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 38921-0002
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 --
Departure City Lewistown
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Lewistown
Destination State MT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2012 7:59PM
User who most recently changed record stam
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 --