Primary finding
Probable cause
The inadvertent stall. A factor was the pilot's premature retraction of the flaps.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
While executing a turn around maneuver during an aerial application flight, the pilot retracted the flaps. The airplane descended and impacted the ground.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 11, 1995, at 0645 mountain daylight time (all times in this report will remain in mountain daylight time), an Air Tractor AT-301, N4398S, collided with terrain while maneuvering near Cannon AFB, New Mexico. The commercial pilot was not injured; however, the airplane was destroyed. The airplane, was operated by Tate Spraying Service under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The flight originated from Clovis, New Mexico, at 0630. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight and a flight plan was not filed. On the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot stated that he was making a "spray turn when after making my downwind turn I was turning back upwind, I retracted my flaps to [too] early and it caused the plane to stall." Subsequently, the airplane impacted "flat into the ground." The pilot reported winds from 180 degrees at 4 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, examined the site and reported that the leading edges of both wings were crushed inward to the wing spars. The fuselage and empennage came to rest upright and the engine was separated from the airframe. -