Probable cause
The tail wheel assembly’s fractured bolt which resulted in the pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.
NTSB analysis
During the landing roll on a dirt strip, the pilot felt the airplane’s tail section “bottom out”. The pilot lost rudder control, and the airplane veered off the strip into vegetation and ground looped. During the ground loop, the left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. A postaccident examination of the airplane found that one of the bolts which secured the tail wheel spring to the tail wheel housing assembly had fractured. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA002 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Oct 1, 2024
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Moffett, Oklahoma
- Nearest airport
- Private Strip (NA)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Air Tractor Inc AT-402A
- N-number
- N45472
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1991
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 137 (agricultural)
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial application
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.