North American AT-6G accident near Harlan, Iowa, August 1, 1999
On August 1, 1999 at about 8:00 pm local time, a North American AT-6G, registered N98FP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harlan, Iowa (Harlan Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing. Factors to the accident were the crosswind, the failure of the pilot to maintain compensation for the crosswind condition on approach, and the inadvertent ground loop encountered by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1999 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 1999
- Place
- Harlan, Iowa · Harlan Municipal Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6G · all AT-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N98FP · registry record · serial 7695
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On landing, the aircraft departed the left side of the runway 33 and struck a small ditch embankment. The aircraft came to rest approximately 100 yards west of the runway. A weather report showed winds from 30-degrees magnetic at 8 knots gusting to 14 knots. The pilot stated that he was landing in a crosswind. The pilot stated that the crosswind correction used on the approach was not '...well stabilized, and [a] go around was contemplated, but [the airplane] touched down and ground looped.' A post accident examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 603 hours in all; 422 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 513 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,197 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1999; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 1340-AN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 5:00 pm
- Destination: HNR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from ADU, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N98FP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American AT-6 Texan 228 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W 1340-AN · as the NTSB recorded it
- Harlan Municipal · nearest airport
- Wittman Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Iowa 871 since 1982 · 131 in the last ten years
- Iowa 4,513 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI99LA274.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.