# Accident 20160418004939A: Air Tractor Inc AT-502, Terry, LA, April 18, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 2016, 09:00 local time
- Place: Terry, LA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: JQBG
- Location: 32.9997° N, 91.3150° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9997&lon=-91.3150&mi=10
- Aircraft: N301LA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N301LA-2018-09-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502 (registry code 0390303, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (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-502
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-34AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 10,200 total, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA154) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160418004939A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL SPRAYING OPERATIONS. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WITH 300 GALLONS OF PRODUCT AND ¾ FUEL. IT WAS THE PILOT?S SECOND LOAD OF THE MORNING.

WHILE MAKING TURN AROUND NEAR END OF LOAD DISPERSAL THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. AT IMPACT, FUSELAGE WAS NEAR VERTICAL APPROXIMATELY 70 DEGREES NOSE DOWN, INVERTED, RIGHT WING LOW. FUSELAGE BROKE FROM WING AND CAME TO REST INVERTED PARALLEL NEXT TO WING.

DAMAGE PATTERN ON AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING ACCORDION-PATTERN OF WING-SKIN WRINKLING, FAILURE OF TAIL SECTION COMPONENTS; DEBRIS-FIELD DISTRIBUTION; GROUND SCARING; AND RESTING LOCATION/POSITION OF AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE INDICATE A HIGH ANGLE OF IMPACT AND LOW FORWARD SPEED WITH NO GROUNDSPEED VECTOR, ALL CONSISTENT WITH A LOW ALTITUDE STALL/SPIN WITH RIGHT WING IMPACTING GROUND FIRST.

## 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 CEN16LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA154), Apr 18, 2016: Air Tractor AT 502 (N301LA), Kilbourne, LA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the operator to comply with the terminating action of the airworthiness directive, which resulted in the subsequent failure and separation of the vertical stabilizer due to fatigue.

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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