19980902022209A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-502B · Portales, NM · September 2, 1998

Date: September 2, 1998
Place: Portales, NM
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N50620
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW98LA383
Reported as: Airtrc AT502B
Fatal injuries: 0

N50620Registration cancelled Aug 23, 2013 · Air Tractor AT-502BS/N 502B-0457 · Built 1997 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-502B Engine modelPratt & Whitney PT6A seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Air tractor 502 acft was involved in aerial application when it lost control, crashed, and was destroyed. (-23)during aerial application this commercial pilot was adjusting his onboard global positioning system and his aircraft struck a irrigation pivot.

As the FAA filed it

AIR TRACTOR 502 ACFT WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN IT LOST CONTROL, CRASHED, AND WAS DESTROYED. (-23)DURING AERIAL APPLICATION THIS COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS ADJUSTING HIS ONBOARD GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM AND HIS AIRCRAFT STRUCK A IRRIGATION PIVOT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA383Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPortales, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance during an aerial application. Also causal was the inadvertent ground loop/swerve during the landing.Sep 2, 1998 · Destroyed