Connell City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Basin City, Washington 99343
Monday, October 27, 2014 9:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On October 27, 2014, about 0945 Pacific daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301 , N8878S, collided into a center pivot irrigation system, following a total loss of engine power in Basin City, Washington. B and R Aerial Crop Care, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 137. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local aerial application flight departed from the Connell City Airport, Connell, Washington, about 0925. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the pilot did not file a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to apply triticale seed to a field about 15 miles from the departure airport. The pilot made a reconnaissance pass over the field, and after determining no obstacles would be in his flight path, he circled back to the field. When the airplane was about 30-50 feet above ground level (agl), the engine experienced a total loss of power. He maneuvered the airplane to an adjacent field, and while in the landing flare (about 5 feet agl), the engine momentarily restarted for a brief 2- 3 seconds. This temporary thrust propelled the airplane into a center pivot irrigation system located in the field. The engine was recovered for further examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/27/2014
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Basin City
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99343
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 463538N
Event Location Longitude 1190908W
Event Location Airport CONNELL CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WA14
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles 14
Degrees magnetic from airport 253
Airport Elevation 925
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID KPSC
Elevation of weather observation facility 410
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
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) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KPSC 271653Z 09004KT 10SM CLR 07/06 A3020 RMK AO2
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) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 7 2014 6:05PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8878S
NTSB Number WPR15LA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
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 301-0225
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
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 B & R AERIAL CROP CARE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CONNELL
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 993260667
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name B & R AERIAL CROP CARE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CONNELL
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 993260667
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 WA14
Departure City Connell
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 925
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code WA14
Destination City Connell
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 7 2014 6:05PM
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 --