# Accident 20230729008049A: Air Tractor Inc AT-402B, Alta, IA, July 29, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2023, 08:30 local time
- Place: Alta, IA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: PFUG
- Location: 42.6750° N, 95.3042° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6750&lon=-95.3042&mi=10
- Aircraft: N402PR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N402PR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-402B (registry code 0390208, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-402b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG (registry code 52246, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-15ag) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-402B
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-15AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 6,600 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA336) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230729008049A

## Narrative

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

AN AIR TRACTOR AT-402, CLIPPED SOME POWER LINES, DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, AND CAME DOWN IN A BEAN FIELD NEAR ALTA, IA. POB: 1, NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 75-100 FEET AGL TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FOR A POWER LINE THAT RAN NORTH AND SOUTH ALONG THE ROAD TO THE WEST OF THE FIELD BEING TREATED. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING THE ROAD AND WIRES THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWN DRAFT OR DUST DEVIL AND WAS THROWN DOWNWARDS NEARLY TO THE GROUND. THE AIRMEN SOMEHOW RECOVERED BEFORE HITTING THE GROUND BUT WENT THROUGH THE WIRES SEVERING THE BOTTOM TWO STRANDS. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO FLY BUT WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE SO THE AIRMEN CHOPPED THE POWER AND ELECTED TO LAND AS THE AIRPLANE WAS WANTING TO TURN TO THE LEFT AND THE AIRMEN COULDN’T STOP IT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE EAST AND 1/4 MILE NORTH OF THE IMPACT SITE WITH THE WIRES. AFTER THE ACCIDENT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RUDDER WAS SEVERED AT IMPACT WITH THE WIRES.

## 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 CEN23LA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA336), Jul 29, 2023: Air Tractor AT-402B (N402PR), Alta, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s encounter with a dust devil, which resulted in a loss of lift, and subsequent collision with powerlines.

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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