20200523007129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-502B · Bunkie, LA · May 23, 2020

Date: May 23, 2020 · 03:55 local
Place: Bunkie, LA
Airport: Bunkie Flying Service
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 4GYG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N571LA
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN20CA190
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, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 25,000 total12,000 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N571LARegistration cancelled Dec 19, 2022 · Air Tractor AT-502BS/N 502B-2571 · Built 2005 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.

N571LA AT-502-B, pilot reported brakes locked during take-off on runway 17L. Aircraft went off left side of runway into a sugar cane field and flipped over. Pilot airlifted to hospital. Pilot sustained head laceration, home and Flying again. Annual inspection listed the right hand wheel cylinder had the o rings replaced, but nothing stating the left wheel had any maintenance performed on it!

As the FAA filed it

N571LA AT-502-B, PILOT REPORTED BRAKES LOCKED DURING TAKE-OFF ON RUNWAY 17L. AIRCRAFT WENT OFF LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY INTO A SUGAR CANE FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER. PILOT AIRLIFTED TO HOSPITAL. PILOT SUSTAINED HEAD LACERATION, HOME AND FLYING AGAIN. ANNUAL INSPECTION LISTED THE RIGHT HAND WHEEL CYLINDER HAD THE O RINGS REPLACED, BUT NOTHING STATING THE LEFT WHEEL HAD ANY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON IT!

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 CEN20CA190Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportBunkie, LAThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.May 23, 2020 · Substantial damage