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CEN21LA393

2021-09-01 · Storm Lake, Iowa, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SLB

Current FAA registration · N5081W

Make / Model
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-401B
Year of manufacture
1996 · 25 years old at event
Engine
P&W R1340 SERIES (600 hp)
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19961002
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A65A38

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a landing approach with a tailwind that resulted in a landing overrun and impact with terrain.

Factual narrative

The commercial pilot reported that he was attempting to land on dew-covered grass runway following an aerial application flight when the airplane overran the runway and nosed over coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the airplane was landing on runway 31 with wind 110o at 4 knots. The pilot reported that the accident was the result of the airplane being too fast during the final approach with a tailwind and the dew-covered runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action selection-Flight crew
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Effect on equipment

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_CEN21LA393.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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