On August 1, 2007, an Air Tractor AT-502B (registration N50877) was involved in an aviation accident near Hampton, IA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was a ditch. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a ditch during an aborted landing after a right crosswind decreased at touchdown, causing the aircraft to yaw right and subsequently lose control.
Incident Overview
An airplane sustained substantial damage when it collided with a ditch adjacent to the runway during an aborted landing. The pilot reported that a right crosswind of 20 knots at a 45-degree angle decreased just as the aircraft was touching down. This change caused the airplane to yaw to the right. The pilot responded by applying power to abort the landing.
Sequence of Events
After power was applied, the airplane became airborne and crossed over the ditch located along the right side of the runway. The aircraft then settled back to the ground, and the left wing tip struck the edge of the ditch. The subsequent impact caused the airplane to spin to the left. During this spin, the right landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid across the runway.
Damage Assessment
The airplane was substantially damaged as a result of the ground contact and the subsequent slide. Specific details of the damage beyond the collapsed landing gear and wing tip strike were not provided in the source.