# Accident 20200730011682A: Air Tractor Inc AT-802A, Caliente, NV, July 30, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 30, 2020, 13:07 local time
- Place: Caliente, NV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NPFG
- Location: 37.3617° N, 114.5664° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3617&lon=-114.5664&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1558W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1558W-2020-10-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-802A (registry code 0390308, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52034, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-802A
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA246) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200730011682A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 30, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 PDT, THE LAS VEGAS FSDO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MIDAIR COLLISION BETWEEN TWO AIR TRACTOR AT-802A SINGLE ENGINE TURBO-PROP AIRPLANES THAT WERE DROPPING FIRE RETARDANT ON THE BISHOP FIRE NEAR CALIENTE, NV.

THE CRASH OCCURRED WHILE THE TWO AIRCRAFT WERE CONDUCTING FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS CONTROLLED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT UNDER TFR 0/7355.  BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE LOADED WITH FIRE RETARDANT AT THE MESQUITE AIRPORT IN MESQUITE, NEVADA, AND FLOWN TOGETHER TO PERFORM A RETARDANT DROP JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.  THE TWO AIRCRAFT HAD CHECKED IN WITH AN AIR ATTACK AIRCRAFT AND CLEARED INTO THE FIRE AREA BY A BLM AIR ATTACK MANAGER.

ADS-B DATA DEPICTED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY FROM THE POINT OF DEPARTURE AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.  DURING THE FLIGHT FROM MESQUITE AIRPORT AND UP UNTIL THE CRASH, N8510M (TANKER 866) WAS IN FRONT OF N1558W (TANKER 824).  THE AIRCRAFT WERE ASSIGNED A FINAL DROP ALTITUDE OF 80 FEET AND FOLLOWED A LEAD PLANE ALONG THE PATH WHERE THE TWO TANKERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO LAY A FIRE RETARDANT TRAIL.

JUST AFTER N8510M FINISHED DROPPING A TRAIL OF RETARDANT, N15588W MADE A RADIO BROADCAST THAT HE HAD FIRE RETARDANT ON HIS WINDSHIELD AND WAS ?GOING AROUND?.  HE ALSO MADE A RADIO BROADCAST THAT HE WAS ?PICKLING? HIS LOAD.  SHORTLY AFTER, BOTH AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH EACH OTHER.

## Other aircraft in the event

- N8510M, Air Tractor Inc AT-802A: [Accident 20200730011672A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200730011672A)

## 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 WPR20LA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA246), Jul 30, 2020: Air Tractor AT802 (N1558W), Elgin, NV, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The trailing pilot’s failure to maintain separation from the lead airplane during a fire retardant deployment flight, which resulted in the trailing airplane flying through a plume of retardant and…

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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