On June 24, 1999, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N3159M) was involved in an aviation accident near Veblen, SD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: was the pilot not maintaining clearance from terrain. A factor was the pilot not performing a load jettison. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a fourth spray pass, the pilot experienced insufficient lift, applied full power to climb above trees, but the airplane settled and contacted the ground, sustaining substantial damage.
Incident Overview
According to the pilot's account, the accident occurred during the fourth spray pass of an agricultural operation. The pilot reported that the air encountered at that time did not seem to have much lift. In an attempt to climb the airplane above nearby trees, the pilot added power, eventually applying full power as the aircraft approached the tree line. However, once over the trees, the airplane began settling downward and subsequently contacted the ground.
Damage Description
The impact resulted in the engine being torn off the fuselage, along with the landing gear and tail wheel. The fuselage came to rest facing a southeasterly direction.
Pilot's Recommendation
The pilot stated that dumping the load was his recommendation for how this accident could have been prevented.