AZTEC, NM, USA
N73080
Air Tractor AT-400
The pilot had flown the aerial application flight for 12 minutes when he began to 'get oil on [the] windshield, and [began] losing oil pressure'. A precautionary landing ensued. During the landing roll, the right wing struck a tree. The airplane spun around and slid aideways, collapsing the left landing gear. The left wing was also 'wrinkled.' The pilot said he found the oil dipstick had not been secured.
On October 19, 1998, approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-400, N73080, operated by J.R. Davis Flying Service under contract to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Aztec, New Mexico. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the aerial application flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The flight originated at Aztec, New Mexico, approximately 1230. According to the pilot's accident report, he had flown the aerial application flight for 12 minutes when he began to "get oil on [the] windshield, and [began] losing oil pressure." A precautionary landing ensued. During the landing roll, the right wing struck a tree. The airplane spun around and slid sideways, collapsing the left landing gear. The left wing was also "wrinkled." The pilot said he found the oil dipstick had not been secured.
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane. Factors were the unsecured oil dipstick, the loss of engine oil pressure necessitating a precautionary landing on unsuitable terrain, and the collision with the tree.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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