What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 21, 2024, at approximately 1100 MST, an Air tractor AT-802, crashed while in cruise flight in mountainous terrain 6 miles ene of Capitan, NM. The commercial pilot was killed. The aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was a part of a three-plane ferry departing alpine-casparis airport, TX (E38) to gallup municipal airport, NM (gup) after being released from usfs firefighting operations. The flight was operating VFR at 9,500 feet. No flight plan was filed.
The lead pilot stated that, while enroute to gup, they encountered a rain shower in the Capitan area. He directed the other two aircraft to turn 30 degrees and climb to reacquire visual contact with one another. He reported that shortly after that, he and the number two aircraft regained VMC and visual contact. He then radioed the mishap aircraft to ascertain his situation as that aircraft was seen turning to the west. The only response was, “oh, I got this…”
The two aircraft continued to gup expecting to find the third there. The lead pilot contacted ATC and the company chief pilot to initiate lost aircraft procedures. When located several hours later, the wreckage was scattered in a northerly direction at about 7,500 feet. Investigation of the site determined that the accident was attributable to controlled flight into terrain (cfit).
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 21, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 MST, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-802, CRASHED WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN 6 MILES ENE OF CAPITAN, NM. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS KILLED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A PART OF A THREE-PLANE FERRY DEPARTING ALPINE-CASPARIS AIRPORT, TX (E38) TO GALLUP MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, NM (GUP) AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM USFS FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATING VFR AT 9,500 FEET. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE LEAD PILOT STATED THAT, WHILE ENROUTE TO GUP, THEY ENCOUNTERED A RAIN SHOWER IN THE CAPITAN AREA. HE DIRECTED THE OTHER TWO AIRCRAFT TO TURN 30 DEGREES AND CLIMB TO REACQUIRE VISUAL CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER. HE REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THAT, HE AND THE NUMBER TWO AIRCRAFT REGAINED VMC AND VISUAL CONTACT. HE THEN RADIOED THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT TO ASCERTAIN HIS SITUATION AS THAT AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TURNING TO THE WEST. THE ONLY RESPONSE WAS, “OH, I GOT THIS…”
THE TWO AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO GUP EXPECTING TO FIND THE THIRD THERE. THE LEAD PILOT CONTACTED ATC AND THE COMPANY CHIEF PILOT TO INITIATE LOST AIRCRAFT PROCEDURES. WHEN LOCATED SEVERAL HOURS LATER, THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT ABOUT 7,500 FEET. INVESTIGATION OF THE SITE DETERMINED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN (CFIT).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.