NTSB investigations: Air Tractor AT-502B

18 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Air Tractor AT-502B, where the sequence of events included Loss of control in flight. 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

20082026
NTSB investigations: Air Tractor AT-502B per year, 2008–2026: 18 cases
20081
20092
20131
20152
20162
20172
20192
20203
20241
20252

Latest 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\" = '240' 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.

NTSB CEN25LA314Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Goodland, KSThe pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing and go-around with variable wind direction and speed.Aug 10, 2025 · N502WF · Substantial damageNTSB CEN25LA219Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Charleston, MOThe pilot’s loss of control during the spray pass, which resulted in impact with vegetation and terrain.Jun 23, 2025 · N114WL · Substantial damageNTSB CEN24LA165Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Olney, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing in gusty wind conditions.Apr 24, 2024 · N6108L · Substantial damageNTSB CEN20LA306Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Grant, NEThe pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering during an agricultural flight, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a loss of control at too low of an altitude to recover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s…Jul 25, 2020 · N502KJ · Substantial damageNTSB ERA20CA231Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · South Bay, FLThe pilot's loss of airplane control during the approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with vegetation and terrain.Jun 29, 2020 · N42190 · Substantial damageNTSB 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.Jun 16, 2020 · N879JA · Substantial damageNTSB 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.Aug 8, 2019 · N6113C · DestroyedNTSB GAA19CA328Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT502 · Monument, KSThe pilot's failure to maintain altitude due to distraction by ground equipment in the airplane’s path, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from crops during an agricultural application flight and resulted in a loss of airplane control.Jun 7, 2019 · N60642 · Substantial damageNTSB CEN18LA019Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Olton, TXThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering during the aerial application flight, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control at an altitude too low to recover.Oct 24, 2017 · N502G · DestroyedNTSB GAA17CA360Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502 · Portales, NMThe pilot's decision to fly the airplane under transmission lines while maneuvering at low altitude in high-density altitude conditions, which resulted in subsequent collision with terrain.Jun 22, 2017 · N700LA · DestroyedNTSB CEN17LA027Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Hereford, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a cotton crop while maneuvering during agricultural application operations, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.Oct 27, 2016 · N8525G · Substantial damageNTSB GAA17CA030Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502 · Paragould, ARThe pilot's failure to avoid electrical wires during low-altitude maneuvering, which resulted in a wire strike.Oct 18, 2016 · N4218E · Substantial damageNTSB CEN15LA335Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Virden, ILThe pilot’s failure to establish a proper airspeed during takeoff with the airplane near its maximum gross weight and with a quartering tailwind.Aug 1, 2015 · N502LH · Substantial damageNTSB CEN15LA222Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT 502B · Basile, LAThe pilot’ failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.May 5, 2015 · N4221G · DestroyedNTSB CEN13LA402Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Tillar, ARThe loss of engine throttle control during takeoff due to an unsecured cockpit throttle control pin, which resulted in a runway overrun.Jul 3, 2013 · N5182C · Substantial damageNTSB CEN09CA533Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Whittemore, IAThe pilot's lack of preflight planning and remedial action with resulted in the airplane's inability to climb out of ground effect.Aug 17, 2009 · N5003C · Substantial damageNTSB CEN09CA428Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Reydell, ARThe pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane when it unexpectedly encountered a whirlwind shortly after takeoff.Jul 10, 2009 · N60023 · Substantial damageNTSB DFW08LA167Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAir Tractor AT-502B · Bethany, MOThe pilot's decision to take off with a known deficiency.Jun 24, 2008 · N5005G · Substantial damage