Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ellis, Kansas 67637
Thursday, July 17, 2014 23:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On July 17, 2014, about 2330 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-401B single engine turboprop airplane, N4223F, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain near Ellis, Kansas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Frontier Ag Inc., and was operated by Frontier Agricultural Service, Inc.; both of Oakley, Kansas. Dark night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The airplane had departed from Moritz Memorial Airport (K61), Beloit, Kansas, sometime after 2245 for planned flight to Oakley Municipal Airport (OEL), Oakley, Kansas.
No witnesses to the accident have been found, however evidence at the scene showed an initial impact scar with wreckage debris scattered generally to the south. The fuselage came to rest upright about 200 feet south from the initial impact point. There was no postimpact fire.
At 2335 the automated weather observing system at Hays, Kansas (KHYS) located about 14 miles southeast from the accident location, reported, visibility of 10 miles, broken clouds at 1,000 feet, broken clouds at 2,500 feet, overcast clouds at 3,300 feet, temperature 17 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 13 degrees C, with an altimeter setting of 30.10 inches of Mercury. AIRMET Sierra issued at 2145, and valid at the accident time near the accident flight level, forecasted instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions for the accident site with ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibilities below 3 miles with precipitation and mist.
The astronomical data obtained from the United States Naval Observatory for the accident location indicated that sunset occurred at 2102 and moonrise occurred at 0026 on the following day.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/17/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2330 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ellis |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67637 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 390126N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0992726W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| 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 | 2335 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 140 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KHYS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1998 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| 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) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.1 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KHYS 180435Z AUTO 16008KT 10SM BKN010 BKN025 OVC03 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ACE Reg'l Opns Center - Ka |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2014 9:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Basic weather conditions | -- |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4223F |
| NTSB Number | CEN14LA376 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Unknown |
| Aircraft Explosion | Unknown |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AIR TRACTOR INC |
| Aircraft Model | AT 401B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 401B-1208 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | FRONTIER AG INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 415 W 2ND ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | OAKLEY |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 677481545 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | FRONTIER AGRICULTURAL SERVICE INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 415 W 2ND ST |
| Operator City | OAKLEY |
| Operator State | KS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 677481545 |
| Operator Code | NJGG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | NJGG818G |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | K61 |
| Departure City | BELOIT |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OEL |
| Destination City | OAKLEY |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2014 9:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| 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 | -- |