On July 12, 2004, an Air Tractor Inc. AT-301 (registration N23811) was involved in an aviation accident near Waitsburg, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and his inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during the landing. Gusts and high vegetation were factors. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, a gust of wind or dust devil pushed an aircraft left, causing the spray boom to catch bordering wheat. The aircraft spun 180 degrees before coming to rest in a wheat field.
Incident Details
According to the pilot's report, the incident occurred while landing at an airstrip. As the aircraft flared for a three-point landing, a sudden gust of wind or a dust-devil pushed the aircraft to the left side of the airstrip. The pilot stated that the event unfolded so rapidly that he was unable to make a correction before the spray boom caught on the bordering wheat.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft then veered to the left and spun around approximately 180 degrees before coming to rest on the side of the airstrip in the wheat field. No further details about the aircraft or injuries were provided in the pilot's report.