# Accident 20030622013439A: Airtrc AT802A, Las Vegas, NM, June 22, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 22, 2003, 12:30 local time
- Place: Las Vegas, NM
- Airport: Las Vegas Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9500° N, 104.9333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9500&lon=-104.9333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8505E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8505E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-802A (registry code 0390308, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT802A
- Pilot flight hours: 20,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN03LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA109) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030622013439A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 6/22/2003 PILOT DAN RINNER WAS ACCOMPLISHING FIRE FIGHTING IN A AIR TRACTOR, AT-802-A, N8505E WHEN HE WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT, HE WAS ABLE TO RECOVER BUT THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED THE TREE TOPS WHILE DEPARTING THE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN BACK TO LAS VEGAS, NM AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS SUBSTANTIAL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FLAPS, AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER ALONG WITH THE LANDING GEAR.

## 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 DEN03LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA109), Jun 22, 2003: Air Tractor AT-802A (N8505E), Las Vegas, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance and visual lookout. Contributing factors were his attention being diverted and the trees.

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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