# NTSB CEN22LA352: Air Tractor AT-502, N407CT, Washington, LA, August 1, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 1, 2022, 06:45 local (11:45 UTC) - Place: Washington, LA - Coordinates: 30.6163, -92.0571 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6163&lon=-92.0571&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Baton Rouge FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105643 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA352 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105643/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105643 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA352 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a wire during an aerial application of a field. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); 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) - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0390303), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: 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 pilot reported that on the first aerial application flight of the day, he saw a wire on the edge of the field to be sprayed and decided that he could fly under the wire to perform the spray pass. During the pass, the airplane’s rudder struck the wire and tore the rudder off. The airplane returned to the departure airport and during landing, lost directional control due to missing rudder and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder from the wire strike and to the fuselage during the ground loop. The pilot reported that there was no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N407CT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N407CT), registered now, S/N 502-0076 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC 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: 502-0076 - Engines: Pratt&Whitney 680 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Crosswind Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Crosswind Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: 17LS, Port Barre, LA - Destination: 17LS, Port Barre, LA - Airport: 17LS, Yankee Field Airport - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 15, 2021; seat: center; flight hours: 2,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 40 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: OPL ## 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 20220801008469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220801008469A), Aug 1, 2022: Air Tractor Inc AT-502, Port Barre, LA, Substantial damage. An Air tractor, model AT-502, departed in the morning to conduct a 14 CFR part 137 aerial application flight approximately 7 miles away from home base. The… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 26, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105643. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14968177&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20email_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photo (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14981635&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Photo_Redacted-Rel.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.