Air Tractor 301 accident near Herreid, South Dakota, August 5, 2008
On August 5, 2008 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor 301, registered N3161A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Herreid, South Dakota (Herreid Muni airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of one of the tailwheel bolts on landing and the pilot's subsequent inability to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2008 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Herreid, South Dakota · Herreid Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 301
- Registration
- N3161A · no longer on the register · serial AT-301-0481
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot returned for landing in the tailwheel configured airplane after an agricultural application flight. He executed a normal landing on runway 12 (2,230 feet by 200 feet, asphalt/turf) and kept the tail up as long as possible as the airplane slowed. The pilot stated that when the tailwheel touched down it felt as if the tail was dragging on the ground and the airplane drifted to the right. He applied opposite rudder but was unable to stop the drift. He subsequently applied the brakes, which spun the airplane around and brought it to a stop partially off the runway. The pilot reported that after the accident he observed a bolt securing the tailwheel had failed. The bolt was discarded and was not available for further examination. The pilot commented that he will proactively inspect and replace the tailwheel bolts before each spray season.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 723 hours in all; 723 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 602 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2008
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5T4 Herreid SD at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,320 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from BMG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.