# Incident 20220721008419I: Air Tractor Inc AT-502, East Grand Fork, MN, July 21, 2022

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 2022, 18:30 local time
- Place: East Grand Fork, MN
- Airport: Airport Name
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: JPXG
- Location: 47.9307° N, 97.0124° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9307&lon=-97.0124&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1540S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1540S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502 (registry code 0390303, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (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-502
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,640 total, 103 in this make and model, 104 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA342) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220721008419I

## Narrative

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

PIC departed a private strip in East Grand Forks approximately 1830 local to conduct aerial spray operations.  The pilot departed southerly into the prevailing winds.  South of the departure end of the runway is a set (two) high tension power lines and a third large powerline, a rural road, and towers.  The PIC elected to fly under the all three sets of powerlines on the southerly heading.  PIC successfully navigated under the first two powerlines but misjudged the third set and impacted the powerline with top of the vertical stabilizer.  The vertical stabilizer bent aft and wedged against the rudder making it immovable.  The PIC elected to land straight ahead into a wheat field.  No further aircraft damage was sustained during the emergency landing.  No injuries were sustained.

## 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 CEN22LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA342), Jul 21, 2022: Air Tractor AT-502 (N1540S), East Grand Forks, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during a low-level application pass.

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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