# NTSB investigations: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series: Low altitude operation/event

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN26LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA036.md): Air Tractor AT-502 · Gueydan, LA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 5, 2025 · N7315L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and clearance from terrain while maneuvering to avoid birds.
- [NTSB WPR24FA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA255.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Izee, OR · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jul 26, 2024 · N805DG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while maneuvering through an area of low visibility due to wildfire smoke and haze.
- [NTSB CEN24LA175](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA175.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · England, AR · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 1, 2024 · N8515G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from tower guy wires while maneuvering during a low-level aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN24FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA021.md): Air Tractor AT-502B · Vidalia, LA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 24, 2023 · N5180W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s cell phone use and the position of the sun, which reduced the pilot’s ability to perceive the location of the power…
- [NTSB CEN22LA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA335.md): Ayres S2R-T34 · Parkin, AR · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 23, 2022 · N4046S · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from tower guy wires while maneuvering.
- [NTSB CEN22LA342](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA342.md): Air Tractor AT-502 · East Grand Forks, MN · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 21, 2022 · N1540S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during a low-level application pass.
- [NTSB WPR21LA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA310.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Fort Sumner, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 30, 2021 · N9197F · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a windmill while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN21LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA283.md): Air Tractor AT-502B · Edwardsburg, MI · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 20, 2021 · N8523Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to identify rising terrain and to maintain terrain clearance from trees during an aerial application pass that resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB CEN21LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA005.md): Air Tractor AT402 · Egypt, AR · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 2, 2020 · N4540F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree limb during a low-level aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN20LA143](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA143.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · Pecan Gap, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 8, 2020 · N9185D · Destroyed
  > The pilot did not maintain adequate clearance from tree, which resulted in a collision with a tree and subsequent impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN19FA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA259.md): Air Tractor AT502 · Sumner, IA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 8, 2019 · N6113C · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s impairment by medical conditions and/or medications, which resulted in the airplane’s impact with power lines and terrain.
- [NTSB GAA19CA453](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA453.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · Stanton, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 24, 2019 · N15400 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during an agricultural application flight.
- [NTSB GAA19CA452](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA452.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · Welsh, LA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 24, 2019 · N1509E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a telephone pole during an agricultural application flight.
- [NTSB GAA19CA352](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA352.md): Air Tractor AT402 · Liberal, KS · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 17, 2019 · N5044Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to see and avoid a windmill tower while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB GAA19CA354](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA354.md): Air Tractor AT 602 · La Ward, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 9, 2019 · N2602M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a wire during an aerial application flight in sun glare conditions.
- [NTSB GAA19CA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA078.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · Americus, GA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 28, 2018 · N843WA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to see and avoid a power line during an agricultural application flight.
- [NTSB CEN19FA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA003.md): Air Tractor AT502 · Placedo, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 12, 2018 · N6135P · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the antenna tower, a known obstruction, during the agricultural application flight. Contributing to the accident was glare from the sun which hindered the pilot's ability to see and avoid the antenna tower.
- [NTSB CEN18FA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA263.md): Air Tractor AT-602 · Wheatley, AR · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 11, 2018 · N8508P · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
- [NTSB GAA18CA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA309.md): Air Tractor AT 402 · Nicolaus, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 19, 2018 · N5128N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from a power transmission wire.
- [NTSB CEN16LA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA326.md): Thrush S2R T660 · Ruthton, MN · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 19, 2016 · N40499 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to see and avoid the tower guy-wire during an agricultural spraying operation.
- [NTSB CEN16LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA312.md): Air Tractor AT-502B · Hickory Ridge, AR · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 8, 2016 · N634LA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a transmission line while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB GAA16CA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA303.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · Nicolaus, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 1, 2016 · N5091N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's insufficient clearance from a power line during aerial application operations, which resulted in a power line strike, a forced landing on unsuitable terrain, loss of directional control, and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN16LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA181.md): Air Tractor AT 502 · West, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · May 14, 2016 · N1546Z · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to see and avoid cellular tower guy wires. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate at low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN14LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA211.md): Air Tractor AT 502B · Garfield, KS · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 22, 2014 · N51990 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and subsequent failure to remain clear of power lines while maneuvering low to the ground.
- [NTSB CEN13LA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA353.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Minot, ND · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 16, 2013 · N8522S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN12FA521](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12FA521.md): Ayres S2R-T34 · Lakin, KS · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 6, 2012 · N365SM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the corn during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN11LA593](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA593.md): Air Tractor AT-400 · Monango, ND · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 23, 2011 · N23720 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot did not maintain adequate separation from a tree during the aerial-application flight.
- [NTSB WPR11LA388](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA388.md): Air Tractor AT-602 · Pine Bluffs, WY · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 17, 2011 · N8518Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN11LA571](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA571.md): Air Tractor AT-402 · Uvalde, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 13, 2011 · N10119 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to avoid power lines during a precautionary landing, which resulted an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the fluctuating engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's…
- [NTSB CEN10CA445](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA445.md): Air Tractor AT-502B · Zwingle, IA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 28, 2010 · N6030U · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during the agricultural flight.
- [NTSB ERA10CA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA309.md): Air Tractor AT-402B · Alcolu, SC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 10, 2010 · N5085Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree. Contributing to the accident was the sunglare.
- [NTSB WPR09CA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA190.md): Ayres S2R-T34 · Cove, OR · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 9, 2009 · N114JP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from rising terrain while maneuvering.
- [NTSB NYC08CA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA279.md): Air Tractor AT-502B · Tunica, MS · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 13, 2008 · N61267 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during low-altitude maneuvers.
- [NTSB MIA08CA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA137.md): Air Tractor AT-402B · Muscle Shoals, AL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 12, 2008 · N402BT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from utility wires during low altitude maneuvers.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('52032', '52034')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = x.position AND e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '220'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/cases?engine=52032

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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.