20171024014969A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-502B · Olton, TX · October 24, 2017

Date: October 24, 2017 · 08:20 local
Place: Olton, TX
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: K3AG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N502G
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN18LA019
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-502B
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,680 total302 in this make and model

N502GRegistration cancelled Apr 23, 2018 · Air Tractor AT-502BS/N 502B-0591 · Built 1999 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-502B Engine modelPratt & Whitney PT6A seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

October 24, 2017, approximately 0820 local time, N502G, an Air tractor AT-502B airplane impacted into a field about five miles west of Olton, Texas. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the airplane was destroyed by a post impact fire. Airplane was operated under provisions of 14 CFR, part 137 as an aerial application flight.

Visual meteorological conditions

Prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight departed from fairview field airport (XA05), sudan, Texas.

The airplane's owner stated that the airplane was being used by another operator who was the pilot's employer.

Several witnesses reported that the airplane was flying north over highway 70 and made a left turn towards west. During the left turn, the airplane descended, impacted into the field and burst into flames.

The airplane came to rest facing south and was mostly consumed by post impact fire. The engine was buried in

The mud with only one propeller blade visible.

As the FAA filed it

OCTOBER 24, 2017, APPROXIMATELY 0820 LOCAL TIME, N502G, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-502B AIRPLANE IMPACTED INTO A FIELD ABOUT FIVE MILES WEST OF OLTON, TEXAS. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR, PART 137 AS AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT.

VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM FAIRVIEW FIELD AIRPORT (XA05), SUDAN, TEXAS.

THE AIRPLANE'S OWNER STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING USED BY ANOTHER OPERATOR WHO WAS THE PILOT'S EMPLOYER.

SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING NORTH OVER HIGHWAY 70 AND MADE A LEFT TURN TOWARDS WEST. DURING THE LEFT TURN, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED, IMPACTED INTO THE FIELD AND BURST INTO FLAMES.

THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST FACING SOUTH AND WAS MOSTLY CONSUMED BY POST IMPACT FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS BURIED IN

THE MUD WITH ONLY ONE PROPELLER BLADE VISIBLE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN18LA019Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportOlton, TXThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering during the aerial application flight, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control at an altitude too low to recover.Oct 24, 2017 · Destroyed