NTSB investigations: Air Tractor AT-502B
22 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Air Tractor AT-502B, where the sequence of events included Low altitude operation/event. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.
Cases per year
| 2008 | 2 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Where
Open the mapLatest cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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.aircraft_model_code IN ('0390307')
AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s.\"tier2Number\" = '220' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE \"isDefiningEvent\")))
ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.
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.aircraft_model_code IN ('0390307')
AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '220' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESCRun it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.
NTSB CEN25LA274Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Hastings, NEThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines while maneuvering at low altitude.NTSB CEN24FA021Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Vidalia, LAThe 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 CEN23FA412Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · New Rockford, NDThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from overhead power lines during an aerial application flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly under the power lines with a small area of clearance available for the airplane.NTSB CEN22LA359Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Melville, LAThe pilot improperly monitored the operating environment which resulted in a collision with a tree located in the middle of a field.NTSB CEN21LA283Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Edwardsburg, MIThe 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 ERA20LA217Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Atmore, ALThe pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, spin, and loss of control.NTSB GAA19CA502Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Onida, SDThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power wires during agricultural application operations.NTSB CEN19FA259Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Sumner, IAThe pilot’s impairment by medical conditions and/or medications, which resulted in the airplane’s impact with power lines and terrain.NTSB GAA19CA480Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Waco, NEThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during an agricultural application flight.NTSB GAA19CA303Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Rockford, OHThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an agricultural application flight.NTSB CEN19FA003Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Placedo, TXThe 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 CEN18FA232Accident · 1 fatalClass 2 · FieldFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Enid, OKThe pilot's failure to see and avoid a known obstacle (communications tower) during agricultural spraying operations.NTSB ERA17FA279Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Philipp, MSThe pilot's improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight in instrument meteorological conditions, below a low overcast ceiling, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.NTSB CEN16LA312Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Hickory Ridge, ARThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a transmission line while maneuvering at low altitude.NTSB GAA16CA303Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502 · Nicolaus, CAThe 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 CEN14CA429Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Minden, NEThe pilot's inadequate survey of the aerial application field which resulted in a collision with a windmill.NTSB CEN14LA211Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Garfield, KSThe pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and subsequent failure to remain clear of power lines while maneuvering low to the ground.NTSB CEN13CA019Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Portales, NMThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight.NTSB CEN10CA445Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Zwingle, IAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires during the agricultural flight.NTSB CEN09CA194Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Harrold, SDThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during his turn to reverse course due to weather. Contributing to the accident was the reduced visibility at the time of the accident.NTSB NYC08CA279Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Tunica, MSThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during low-altitude maneuvers.NTSB DFW08LA143Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Wheatley, ARThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, resulting in an inadvertent low-altitude aerodynamic stall.