# Accident 20150505006419A: Air Tractor Inc AT-502B, Basile, LA, May 5, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 5, 2015, 12:41 local time
- Place: Basile, LA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 3LAG
- Location: 30.4853° N, 92.6006° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4853&lon=-92.6006&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4221G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4221G-2018-04-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502B (registry code 0390307, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG (registry code 52251, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-34ag) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-34AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,100 total, 650 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN15LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150505006419A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS FERTILIZING A RICE FIELD.  ON HIS LAST PASS, HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 FT HIGH JUST OUTSIDE OF TELEPHONE POLES/WIRES SPRAYING THE EDGE OF FIELD.  AT THE END OF THAT PASS, THE PILOT DID NOT CLEAR THE TREE LINE RUNNING PARRALLEL TO THE FIELD AND FLIGHT PATH. THE TREE LINE WAS MOSTLY PINE TREES AND STARTED AT THE END OF THE FIELD, EXTENDING FOR APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS.  THE LEFT WINGTIP HIT THE FIRST TREE CAUSING THE PILOT TO CONTINUE HITTING THE TREELINE FOR APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 100 YARDS.  THE THIRD TREE IMPACT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND TO THE GROUND IN A LEFT BANK OF APPROXIMATELY 75-80°. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND INITIALLY WITH THE PROPELLER AND SPINNER, WENT ANOTHER 60 YDS AND IMPACTED THE GROUND AGAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.  FROM THERE THE AIRCRAFT SLID ANOTHER 60-70 YDS WHERE IT IMPACTED A GOUP OF SMALLER TREES WHERE IT CAME TO REST.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS LEFT SIDE, WITH RIGHT WING STICKING STRAIGHT UP.  POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT AND FATALLY INJURED THE PILOT.

## 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 CEN15LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA222), May 5, 2015: Air Tractor AT 502B (N4221G), Basile, LA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’ failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.

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.