# Accident 20200222004339A: Air Tractor Inc AT-602, Bunkie, LA, February 22, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 22, 2020, 15:20 local time
- Place: Bunkie, LA
- Airport: Bunkie Flying Service
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: SJEG
- Location: 30.9292° N, 92.1792° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.9292&lon=-92.1792&mi=10
- Aircraft: N602BK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N602BK) (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: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 15,900 total, 505 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200222004339A

## Narrative

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

ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1505 LOCAL TIME AIRCRAFT N602BK, A AT-602 DEPARTED ^JIMMY LEBLANC'S^ PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, WHICH IS BETWEEN CROWLEY AND IOTA, LA, AT APPROXIMATELY ^5162 MCCAIN ROAD^. THE AT-602, N602BK, HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM MAINTENANCE. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE ACCEPTANCE/PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. WIND WAS CALM, GENERALLY FROM THE SOUTHEAST, AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60 F. TAKEOFF AND ENROUTE CRUISE FOR THE 15 MINUTE FLIGHT TO THE BUNKIE FLYING SERVICE AIRSTRIP, 2LA4, WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PILOT PLANNED AND EXECUTED A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH, LANDING TO THE NORTH AT 2LA4. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AT ABOUT 65 MPH, JUST SHORT OF THE CONCRETE PORTION THEIR RUNWAY, WHICH ALLOWED A LITTLE OVER 2,000 FEET OF STOPPING DISTANCE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON CENTERLINE, UNDER CONTROL, AND THE TAIL SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY NORMALLY AS THE PILOT PULLED THE CONTROL STICK FULL AFT AND APPLIED BRAKES. AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE PILOT RETRACTED THE POWER LEVER INTO THE BETA RANGE. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN

TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT, AND THE PILOT ADDED FULL RIGHT RUDDER AND APPLIED MORE RIGHT BRAKE. THE TURN CONTINUED, AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE AND BRING IT UNDER CONTROL, THE PILOT APPLIED MORE BETA THRUST. THE INCREASED TORQUE OVERCAME THE RIGHT RUDDER AND

BRAKE FORCES AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY A 30 DEGREE ANGLE, OR ABOUT 330 DEGREES.

AS THE LEFT TIRE CONTACTED THE RAIN-SOFTENED TURF ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY, THE TURN BECAME NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY, APPROACHING A HEADING OF 270 DEGREES. THE FORWARD MOMENTUM OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSED IT TO SKID SIDEWAYS, TOWARD THE RIGHT WING. AS THE

AIRCRAFT ROLLED THE SHORT DISTANCE ACROSS THE SOD BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE CONCRETE RUNWAY AND THE ADJACENT SUGAR CANE FIELD, IT BEGAN A CLASSIC GROUND LOOP, AND THE TURN INCREASED

IN MOMENTUM TO THE LEFT AS THE LEFT WHEEL, AND THEN THE RIGHT, CONTACTED THE FIRST ROW OF SUGAR CANE. THE SOFT, WET DIRT PROVIDED ENOUGH RESISTANCE TO IMPART SIGNIFICANT TWISTING DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE IN THE AFT SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TURN, BUT THE TAIL DID NOT. THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE AS WELL.

## 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 CEN20CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA103), Feb 22, 2020: Air Tractor AT 602 (N602BK), Bunkie, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to lock the tailwheel before landing, which resulted in his loss of directional control during the landing roll, a runway excursion onto soft ground, and a subsequent ground loop.

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.