# Accident 20020814023679A: Airtrc AT802A, Denver, CO, August 14, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 2002, 10:11 local time
- Place: Denver, CO
- Airport: Jeffco Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.9086° N, 105.1172° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9086&lon=-105.1172&mi=10
- Aircraft: N91092, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N91092) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-802A (registry code 0390308, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52034, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT802A
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN02TA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02TA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020814023679A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS JUST WEST OF THE BROOMFIELD AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED WITH 703 GALLONS (6467 LBS.) OF FIRE RETARDANT FOR THIS TAKE-OFF. THIS IS 97 GALLONS LESS THAN A FULL LOAD. AIRCRAFT WAS APPROX. 500 FEET INTO THE TAKE-OFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 29R WHEN PILOT REPORTS HEARING A LARGE "BANG." THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY EXITED OFF RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE @ 250 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 25. CONSULTATION WITH THE AIRCRAFT MFG-AIR TRACTOR-HAS REVEALED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED NEAR GROSS WEIGHT WITH A SIGNIFICANT SIDE WIND LOAD DURING TAKE-OFF RESULTING IN ONE OF THE MAIN TIRE'S SIDEWALL BEAD SEPARATING FROM THE WHEEL RIM. THIS BEAD SEPARATION CAUSES ALL THE AIR IN THE TIRE TO SUDDENLY BE RELEASED. THIS WOULD MAKE THE LEFT MAIN TIRE SUSPECT. PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT THE SCENE VERIFIES THAT THE LEFT MAIN TIRE SIDEWALL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL RIM BEAD AREA. THIS INSPECTOR WILL SUBMIT A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION TO EITHER DESIGN A BETTER WHEEL/TIRE COMBINATION OR ESTABLISH A CROSSWIND COMPONENT/LIMITATION FOR TAKE-OFF.

## 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 DEN02TA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02TA092), Aug 14, 2002: Air Tractor AT-802A (N91092), Broomfield, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: the airplane's left main landing gear tire separated from its wheel during takeoff roll for an undetermined reason. Contributing factors were the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control during…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.