# NTSB CEN20CA158: Air Tractor AT 602, N419TW, El Campo, TX, April 21, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 21, 2020, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: El Campo, TX - Coordinates: 29.318611, -96.402496 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3186&lon=-96.4025&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 21, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO, Air Tractor, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada - NTSB case key (mKey): 101198 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA158 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101198/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101198 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA158 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of a ground spray rig’s position and his incorrect belief that a runway incursion might occur, which resulted in the pilot attempting and then aborting a go-around, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a fence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Perception/orientation/illusion: perception](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022040): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022040/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: ground equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was landing at a remote agricultural airstrip for the first time. While on the final approach to land to the south and just before touchdown, the pilot saw a ground spray rig maneuver toward the airstrip. The airplane touched down uneventfully. The pilot added that the ground spray rig then "pulled out on me, not thinking it could be on the road that went around the end of the airstrip." The pilot incorrectly judged that the ground spray rig was crossing the runway and incorrectly believed that a runway incursion might occur. The pilot applied full power, but due to the turbine engine's lag in accelerating, the pilot realized that he was "not going to have enough time" to perform a go-around. The pilot reduced the power and attempted to stop the airplane before he ran out of available runway. The airplane impacted a perimeter fence and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the right aileron, and the engine mount. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot was landing at the remote agricultural airstrip for the first time. While on the final approach to land to the south, just before touchdown, the pilot observed a ground spray rig maneuver toward the turf runway. The airplane touched down uneventfully to the dry grass and during the landing roll, the pilot reported that the ground spray rig, "pulled out on me, not thinking it could be on the road that went around the end of the airstrip." The pilot incorrectly judged, from his elevated position sitting in the tailwheel airplane, that the ground spray rig was crossing the runway, and thought a runway incursion was occurring. The pilot applied full power and with the turbine engine acceleration lag condition, the pilot then realized that he was, "not going to have enough time" to perform a go-around. The pilot reduced the power and attempted to stop the airplane before he ran out of available runway. The airplane impacted a metal perimeter fence and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the right aileron, and the engine mount. The operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N419TW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N419TW), registered now, S/N 602-1251, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Air Tractor AT 602 (No Series) - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-602](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602) (registry code 0390309) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60ag) (registry code 52101, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 602-1251 - Year built: 2014 - Airframe hours: 2445.1 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG 1050 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Tradewind Ag Inc. - Registered owner: Paul R. Burton - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, December 18, 2019, 39 hours before - Departed: 8TE8, El Campo, TX - Destination: None, El Campo, TX - Airport: None, Private Agricultural Airstrip, runway 18, 2,580 × 110 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2; last flight review July 24, 2019; seat: single; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 6,838.8 total, 450 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,100 ft broken - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KARM, 21 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 20200421005149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200421005149A), Apr 21, 2020: Air Tractor Inc AT-602, El Campo, TX, Substantial damage. On the landing roll out, the pilot noticed the ground spray rig moving across the run way. The pilot was focused on the rig when he thought about going around… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101198. 1.9 MB in all. - Accident Photographs (item 1, .PDF, 850 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485633&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photographs%20-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 790 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485634&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Agricultural Airstrip Diagram (item 3, .PDF, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485635&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Agricultural%20Airstrip%20Diagram%20-Master.PDF - NTSB Party Member Form (item 4, .PDF, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485636&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Party%20Member%20Form%20-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.