# Accident 19980717025019A: Airtrc AT502, Clewiston, FL, July 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 17, 1998, 17:00 local time
- Place: Clewiston, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 26.7509° N, 80.9291° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7509&lon=-80.9291&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9184R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9184R-2005-08-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502 (registry code 0390303, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT502
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A34AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 400 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA202) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980717025019A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ON JULY 17, 1998, ABOUT 1700 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR 502, N9184R, REGISTERED TO AIR CROP CARE, INC., COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF FROM A DIRT ROAD NEAR CLEWISTON, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL AND THE HOPPER WAS LOADED WITH 3,600 POUNDS OF DRY FERTILIZER; NEARLY 7/8 FULL. HE INITIATED A TAKEOFF TO THE EAST USING THE SECOND HALF OF A MILE-LONG DIRT ROAD. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND CLEARED A 10-FOOT-TALL EXHAUST OF A PUMP LOCATED AT THE END AND SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED BUT BEGAN DESCENDING, DURING WHICH, THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SUGARCANE ABOUT 50 FEET PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT COMING TO REST UPRIGHT ON A HEADING 180 DEGREES FROM THE TAKEOFF HEADING. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AN D AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF, THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST-SOUTHWEST AT 2-3 KNOTS. (-23) DURING TAKEOFF ROLL TO THE EAST, THE PILOT PULLED UP TO AVOID PUMP STATION OBSTACLE. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED OBSTACLE THEN SANK BACK ONTO THE GROUND AND CRASHED IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD. THE AIRCRAT SPUN COUNTER CLOCKWISE WITH NOSE POINTING WEST. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 250-300' AFTER IMPACTING SUGAR CANE. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL: RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF DURING IMPACT, PROPELLER WAS BENT, NUMEROUS DENTS AND RIPS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COWEL, OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOT OBSERVED DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE AIRCRAFT (BURIED DEEP INTO SUGAR CANE AND MUD).

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA98LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA202), Jul 17, 1998: Air Tractor 502 (N9184R), Clewiston, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed. A tailwind was a contributing factor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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