# Accident 20090820017039A: Airtrc AT802A, Austin, NV, August 20, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 20, 2009, 15:45 local time
- Place: Austin, NV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8139° N, 117.5789° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8139&lon=-117.5789&mi=10
- Aircraft: N807MA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N807MA-2011-12-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-802A (registry code 0390308, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67AG (registry code 52211, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-67ag) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT802A
- Reported engine: PWC PT6A67AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09GA407](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09GA407) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090820017039A

## Narrative

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

(-23)  THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING HIS SINGLE ENGINE AIR TANKER (SEAT) AT A LOW ALTITUDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN TO CARRY OUT HIS THIRD FIRE RETARDANT DROP OF THE DAY.  WITNESS REPORTED AND A SITE VISIT REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE DESIGNATED DROP AREA FROM THE SOUTH.  ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR HIS DROP AREA BUT AT THE EXPECTED TIME, NO RETARDARNT WAS RELEASED.  THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE THEN OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MAKING CONTACT WITH A SPARSELY VEGETATED HILLSIDE AND HEADING TO THE TOP OF THE RIDGE.  THIS WAS VERIFIED BY THE SITE VISIT WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S TIRE TRACKS WERE OBSERVED ON THE HILLSIDE.  THE AIRPLANE THEN CRESTED THE TOP OF THE RIDGE AND CLIPPED SOME SMALL PINE AND JUNIPER TREES.  THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE FOR A SHORT DISTANCE MAKING ABRUPT MANEUVERS AND ULTIMATELY COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ON AN RELATIVELY FLAT AREA IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS HIS APPROACH, ABOUT 250 YARDS FROM THE RIDGE TOP.  THE DEBRIS PATH FROM THE RIDGE TOP TO THE WRECKAGE SITE INCLUDED THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND WING FRAGMENTS.

## 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 WPR09GA407](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09GA407), Aug 20, 2009: Air Tractor AT-802A (N807MA), Austin, NV, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach prior to the retardant drop and his subsequent failure to release the retardant load, resulting in a stall/mush and collision with terrain.

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.