# Accident 20050828020889A: Airtrc AT502, Hector, MN, August 28, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 28, 2005, 00:30 local time
- Place: Hector, MN
- Airport: Hector Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 44.5472° N, 95.0822° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5472&lon=-95.0822&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4550N, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4550N) (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 PT6A15AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 14,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI05CA245](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA245) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050828020889A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRMAN WAS COUNSELED CONCERNING POWERPLANT PRODUCING RATED TORQUE DUE TO HOT SECTION COMING UP ON A HOT SECTION INSPECTION. THE SLIGHT DOWN WIND, 3 KTS, MAY HAVE PLAYED A SMALL PART IN THE ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT HAD BECOME AIRBORNE BUT FLYING GROUND EFFECT. AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER A LARGE AND DEEP DRAINAGE DITCH AT WHICH TIME THE GROUND EFFECT WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO A CORN FIELD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH. AIRMAN AGREED WITH THE CONCLUSION AND AGREED WITH THE COUNSELING CONCERNING THE LOW TORQUE OUTPUT.

## 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 CHI05CA245](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA245), Aug 29, 2005: Air Tractor AT-502 (N4550N), Hector, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to achieve adequate airspeed on takeoff which resulted in the airplane entering a stall/mush when it flew out of ground effect while crossing a large drainage ditch on takeoff.

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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