# Accident 20001206041339A: Airtrc AT502B, Belle Grade, FL, December 6, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 6, 2000, 09:15 local time
- Place: Belle Grade, FL
- Airport: Belle Glade State/Marpt/Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: QBGG
- Location: 26.6809° N, 80.6703° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.6809&lon=-80.6703&mi=10
- Aircraft: N50470, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N50470-2020-05-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502B (registry code 0390307, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52034, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT502B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA037) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001206041339A

## Narrative

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

(.4) ON DECEMBER 6, 2000, AT ABOUT 0915 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-502, N50470, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATED BY SOUTH FLORIDA CROP CARE AS A 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH A WIRE DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION SWATH RUN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM BELLE GLADE STATE AIRPORT, BELLE GLADE, FLORIDA, ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD MADE AN AERIAL APPLICATION SWATH RUN TO WEST, TURNED EAST AND COLLIDED WITH WIRES. HE FURTHER STATED HE HAD SPRAYED IN THE AREA BEFORE AND PICKED OUT THE WRONG WIRES RESULTING IN THE IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE WIRES. HE IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED A CONTROL PROBLEM AND WAS GOING TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING TO A HIGHWAY, BUT ELECTED NOT TO DO SO DUE TO TRAFFIC. HE APPROACHED BELLE GLADE STATE AIRPORT FROM THE NORTH AND WAS PLANNING ON MAKING A RIGHT TURN TO RUNWAY 27. HE HAD TO USE FULL LEFT AILERON TO PREVENT THE AIRPLANE FROM ROLLING. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE STARTED AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TO THE RIGHT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, SKIPPED A DITCH INTO A CANE FIELD, AND SPUN AROUND 180 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. (-23)WHILE MAKING A REPOSITION TURN, PILOT PICKED WRONG SET OF POLES TO JUDGE HEIGHT AND STRUCK WIRE.  AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN BACK TO BELLE GLADE AIRPORT.  LANDING WAS MADE ON RUNWAY 27.  PILOT LOST CONTROL DURING THE ROLLOUT DUE TO THE WING DAMAGE.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD WITH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WING LEADING EDGES.  WIRE STRIKE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PROP AND RIGHT WING.

## 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 MIA01LA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA037), Dec 6, 2000: Air Tractor AT-502B (N50470), Belle Glade, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout during a swath run resulting in an in-flight collision with known wires along the swath run, and a loss of directional control on landing roll due to…

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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