# Accident 20190609006259A: Air Tractor Inc AT-602, La Ward, TX, June 9, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 9, 2019, 11:00 local time
- Place: La Ward, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 1PNG
- Location: 28.7306° N, 96.4536° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7306&lon=-96.4536&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2602M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2602M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-602 (registry code 0390309, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA354) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190609006259A

## Narrative

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

OPERATOR WAS SPRAYING A FIELD EAST OF HWY 72 WHICH CONTAINED KNOWN WIRES. PILOT WAS TRIMMING FIELD AND THOUGHT HE HAD PASSED OVER WIRES, ACTUALLY THE WIRES WERE STILL FORWARD. THE PILOT FLEW UNDER THE WIRES. THE WIRES CAUGHT THE TOP OF RUDDER AND RIPPED THE RUDDER OFF THE AIRCRAFT, STAYED CONNECTED BY CABLES ONLY. THE PILOT LOCATED AREA FOR EMERGENCY LANDING. THE FUSELAGE BUCKLED UPON LANDING.

## 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 GAA19CA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA354), Jun 9, 2019: Air Tractor AT 602 (N2602M), La Ward, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a wire during an aerial application flight in sun glare conditions.

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.