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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1999 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harlan, Iowa · Harlan Municipal 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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER during landing - roll
- ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH TERRAIN/WATER during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- 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
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,197 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, 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
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
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°C, dew point 64°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from ADU, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI99LA274.