# NTSB CEN16LA208: Air Tractor AT-502, N10325, Ropesville, TX, June 6, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2016, 13:16 local (18:16 UTC) - Place: Ropesville, TX - Coordinates: 33.413333, -102.154167 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4133&lon=-102.1542&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 25, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration LBB FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 93326 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA208 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93326/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93326 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA208 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall while maneuvering. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot stated that during a routine aerial application, he circled the airplane around the field to be sprayed to locate obstacles. He sprayed the field from north to south and made passes from east to west. During the third pass, when the airplane exited the field to the west to return for an eastward pass, he felt the airplane shake at the apex of the turn. He said that he corrected for the shake/stall, and the shaking quit for a moment. He then felt the right wing "take a hard dip." The airplane entered a right roll, impacted the ground, and was destroyed. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane. It is likely that, while maneuvering, the pilot failed to maintain the proper airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall. ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2016, at 1316 central daylight time, an Air Tractor Inc. AT-502, N10325, impacted terrain during an aerial application of a field near Ropesville, Texas. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot received serious injuries. The airplane was operated by T-C Aerial LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that during a "routine" aerial application, he circled the field to be sprayed to locate obstacles. He sprayed the field from north to south and made passes from east to west. During the third pass when the airplane exited the field to west to return for an eastward pass, he felt the airplane shake at the apex of the turn. He said that he corrected for the shake/stall, and the shaking quit for a moment. He then felt the right wing "take a hard dip." The airplane entered a right roll and impacted the ground. The pilot stated that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N10325](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N10325-2018-09-27), registration cancelled 2018-09-27, S/N 502-0078, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR AT-502 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-502](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (registry code 0390303) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 502-0078 - Year built: 1990 - Engines: P&W Canada PT6A-60A 1020 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: T-C Aerial LLC - Registered owner: Capital Asset Resources - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: LIU, Littlefield, TX - Destination: LIU, Littlefield, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: center; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 401 total, 67 in this make and model, 234 as pilot in command, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 30,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: LBB, 22 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20160606006349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160606006349A), Jun 6, 2016: Air Tractor Inc AT-502, Ropesville, TX, Destroyed. On June 6, 2016, at approximately 1316 CDT, pilot was on turn around and setting up a return pass. The pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed, which… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93326. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472292&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.