# Accident 20220711008399A: Air Tractor Inc AT-502B, Decatur, IL, July 11, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 11, 2022, 07:00 local time
- Place: Decatur, IL
- Airport: Decatur Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 44DG
- Location: 39.8300° N, 88.8500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8300&lon=-88.8500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5850R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5850R-2025-05-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502B (registry code 0390307, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG (registry code 52251, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-34ag) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-34AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 760 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA312) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220711008399A

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE:

NORMAL TAKEOFF FROM RUNwAY 06 AT DECATUR ILLINOIS (KDEC) TO THE NORTHEAST APROXIMATELY 0630 LOCAL TIME ON 07/11/2022 WITH A PLAN TO SPRAY A CORNFIELD ABOUT 25 NM WEST OF THE KDEC AIRPORT. THE PILOT RECIEVED WEATHER INFORMATION FROM FOREFLIGHT VIA CELL PHONE AND OBTAINED LOCAL WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE KDEC AIRPORT ATIS FREQUENCY. THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED FROM RUNWAY 06 WITH NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS. PILOT EXECUTED A RIGHT TURN FROM RUNWAY 06 ABOUT 250 TO 300 FEET IN THE AIR WHEN THE PILOT HEARD A POP, FELT THE AIRCRAFT SHAKE, OBSERVED WHITE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST STACKS AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT DECELERATE. THE PILOT ROLLED WINGS LEVEL AND NOSED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHILE OPENING THE HOPPER DUMP HANDLE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLAIR THE LANDING JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN IN A MATURE BEAN FIELD ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE AIRCRAFT FIRMLY LANDED IN A FLAT ATTITUDE AND SLID THROUGH THE AIRPORT PERIMETER CHAIN LINK FENCE.

-END-

## 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 CEN22LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA312), Jul 11, 2022: Air Tractor AT-502B (N5850R), Decatur, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fracture of the compressor turbine (CT) blades due to creep.

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.