On May 29, 1995, an Air Tractor AT-301A (registration N31580) was involved in an aviation accident near Terreton, ID. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to maintain control of the aircraft due to a severe downdraft from an approaching thunderstorm cell. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an aerial application mission, the pilot encountered a severe downdraft from an approaching thunderstorm cell. Despite attempting to dump the load and maneuver to lower terrain, the aircraft lost altitude and struck the ground.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was conducting aerial application operations. The pilot reported that after completing three passes over the target area, he encountered a very strong downdraft associated with an approaching thunderstorm cell. In response to the sudden loss of altitude and airspeed, the pilot attempted to correct the situation by dumping the chemical load and turning toward lower terrain.
Despite these corrective actions, the pilot was unable to regain sufficient airspeed or altitude. Consequently, the aircraft struck the ground during the maneuver.
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain control of the aircraft due to a severe downdraft from an approaching thunderstorm cell.
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