CEN24FA221

The inflatable restraint systems from both airplanes were examined by personnel from their manufacturer. The inflatable restraint system from N2032K was in normal condition. The harness assembly was manufactured in February 2011, and both inflator assemblies were manufactured in October 2009. During the postaccident examination, the left airbag’s condition was found to be consistent with normal inflation. The right airbag also showed evidence of inflation but was ruptured along its lower section. The damage was consistent with impact forces that exceeded the system’s design and certification criteria. The inflatable restraint system from N8525V was in generally poor condition, with the harness webbing in normal condition. The leather coverings over the airbags were dried and deteriorated. The harness assembly was manufactured in June 2011, and the inflator assemblies were manufactured in October and November 2011. During the postaccident examination, the left airbag’s condition was found to be consistent with normal inflation, but the right airbag did not show evidence of inflation. Examination of the restraint assembly revealed a hole in the right airbag transfer tube consistent with chafing where the tubing passed through the aft cockpit wall. According to the manufacturer’s component maintenance manual, the inflatable restraint assemblies for both airplanes had an on-condition service life, and the inflator assembly had a service life of 10 years from its date of manufacture. Investigators removed and retained a SATLOC Falcon CPU from N2032K and a SATLOC G4 CPU from N8525V. The units were sent to the NTSB Recorders Laboratory for data recovery. Data was recovered from both units. The data recovered from N2032K contained about 37 minutes of the accident flight, starting midflight and ending with N2032K about 382 ft northwest of its wreckage. The data recovered from N8525V contained about 30 minutes of the accident flight, starting with the airplane at XA05 and ending with N8525V about 5,150 ft north of its wreckage. On June 14, 2024, about 0840 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B airplane, N2032K, and another Air Tractor AT-502B airplane, N8525V, were substantially damaged when they were involved in a midair collision near Whiteface, Texas. The pilot of N2032K was seriously injured, and the pilot of N8525V was fatally injured. Both airplanes were operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flights. Both airplanes were operated by the same operator and the pilots were conducting aerial application operations in a cotton field. The pilot of N2032K reported that he planned to spray the corners of the field and that N8525V planned to spray the center circle. He reported that two airplanes spraying adjacent fields at the same time was rare and that they had not previously conducted operations with two airplanes spraying the same field at the same time. The pilot of N2032K reported that, after he hadalready begun product application, he and the pilot of N8525V coordinated a plan in which N2032K would be the high airplane and N8525V would be the low airplane. He reported that N2032K’s push-to-talk switch was inoperative, so the pilots communicated using a wireless Bluetooth and cellphone connection. The pilot of N2032K reported that he was making an eastbound spray pass and that N8525V was making a southbound pass when he saw N8525V begin to climb into his flightpath. He reported that he banked to the right to avoid the collision, but was unsuccessful in doing so. N2032K was equipped with a Satloc Falcon GPS guidance system. N2032K’s data showed that the airplane departed from Fairview Field (XA05), Sudan, Texas, arrived near the field about 0810, and began its first spray run at 0817:46. N2032K completed 13 north/south spray runs before transitioning to 4 east/west passes. The final recorded portion of N2032K’s data showed the airplane on its 5th eastbound spray run before it rapidly climbed, its ground speed slowed, and the airplane turned to the right. The last recorded data point for N2032K was at 0833:11. N2032KV’s spray runs averaged about 3,731 ft GPS altitude. N8525V was equipped with a Satloc G4 GPS guidance system. Data recovered from the systems showed that N8525V also departed from XA05, arrived near the field about 0819, and began its first southbound spray run about 0822. N8525V completed 10 north/south spray runs and had begun an 11th southbound run on a track of about 160° when its data ended at 0833:03. N8525V’s spray runs averaged about 3,661 ft GPS altitude. Assuming that N8525V continued southbound on the same 160° track with a ground speed similar to preceding application passes, the airplanes’ flightpaths converged at an angle of about 91°. Based on N2032K’s ground speed of about 151 mph, the airplanes’ closure rate was about 201 mph, or 295 ft per second. According to the FAA, the most recent aviation medical examination for the pilot of N2032K was on February 26, 2024. At that time, he reported no significant medical concerns, and he was issued a second-class medical certificate limited by a requirement to use corrective lenses to meet vision standards at all distances. The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicological testing of specimens collected during the pilot’s postaccident hospital care. Acetaminophen was detected in blood and serum. Other detected substances were documented in hospital records as having been medications (or metabolites of medications) administered to the pilot of N2032K during his initial medical care after the accident. Acetaminophen is a medication widely available without a prescription for treating pain or fever. Acetaminophen is not typically impairing. South Plains Forensic Pathology performed the autopsy of the pilot of N8525V as authorized by the Cochran County Justice of the Peace. According to the autopsy report, his cause of death was blunt force injuries of the head,neck, and torso. According to the FAA, the most recent aviation medical examination for the pilot of N8525V was on January 30, 2024. At that time, he reported a history of heart attack in 2009 with three stents. He also reported having high blood pressure and diabetes. He reported using the prescription diabetes medications semaglutide, pioglitazone, and metformin; the prescription blood pressure medications losartan and metoprolol; and the prescription antiplatelet medication clopidogrel. He was issued a second-class medical certificate via Special Issuance with the following limitations: “Limited second class/Full third class privileges. Not valid for carrying passengers or cargo for compensation, except if serving as pilot of fully qualified 2-pilot crew. Not valid for any class after 1/31/2025. Must use corrective lenses to meet vision standards at all required distances.” The pilot of N8525V had multiple prior Authorizations for Special Issuance of medical certification with a history of heart attack, coronary artery disease, coronary stenting, diabetes, and high blood pressure requiring medication. His most recent authorization renewal before the accident was dated April 26, 2024. The autopsy of the pilot of N8525V identified hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. His heart was described as enlarged, with a thickened left ventricle. The coronary artery system was described as markedly calcific with severe narrowing, stent placements in the right coronary artery and left anterior descending coronary artery, about 50% narrowing of the left circumflex coronary artery, and moderate constriction of the coronary ostia by plaque. No heart muscle scarring from old heart attack was visually identified. Microscopic examination of heart muscle demonstrated cellular enlargement and interstitial and perivascular fibrosis. The aorta was described as having moderate, extensively calcific arteriosclerosis, and there was mild noncalcific arteriosclerosis of the arteries at the base of the brain. Postmortem toxicological testing of the pilot of N8525V by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified pioglitazone, metformin, losartan, metoprolol, rosuvastatin, acetaminophen, loratadine, and desloratadine in cavity blood and liver tissue. Fexofenadine and azacyclonol were detected in liver tissue and were not detected in cavity blood. Urine glucose was measured at 29 mg/dL. (The FAA laboratory considers glucose levels above 100 mg/dL to be abnormal in postmortem urine; glucose in random fresh urine normally is 25 mg/dL or less.) Pioglitazone and metformin are prescription medications of different classes that can be used in the treatment of diabetes. Pioglitazone and metformin are not typically impairing, were among the medications reported by the pilot of N8525V at his last aviation medical examination, and generally pose low risk of causing significant low blood sugar. Losartan and metoprolol are prescription medications of differentclasses that can be used in the treatment of high blood pressure. Metoprolol also may be used for individuals with certain other conditions, such as arrhythmias, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Losartan and metoprolol are not typically impairing and were among the medications reported by the pilot of N8525V at his last aviation medical examination. Loratadine and fexofenadine are both non-sedating antihistamine medications that are available without a prescription and can be used to treat allergy symptoms. Desloratadine is an active metabolite of loratadine and is available as a prescription non-sedating antihistamine medication with similar uses as loratadine. Azacyclonol is a metabolite of fexofenadine. Loratadine/desloratadine, and fexofenadine/its metabolite are not typically impairing. At 0840 near Whiteface, Texas, the sun was positioned at an azimuth of 101.86° with an altitude of 60.17° above the horizon. Debris from both airplanes was scattered across an area about 700 ft by 400 ft on a 160° magnetic heading. The debris field was located in the cotton field where the airplanes were operating and an adjacent cotton field to the south. Debris from N2032K’s right wing was found near the beginning of the debris field. Black transfer marks were noted on N2032K’s right composite wing tip pieces, and portions of N8525V’s right wing and right aileron were found with or near the main wreckage of N2032K. The wreckage of N2032K was found on its right side in a field south of the area where the airplanes were spraying. A ground scar that contained wing tip fragments and pieces of navigation light glass was found about 42 ft northwest of the main wreckage. A ground scar that contained a separated propeller blade and propeller components was found near the engine. The wreckage came to rest on a true heading of 036° (see figure 1). The engine displayed significant torsional twisting and was bent in a “U” shape; two compressor hubs were found liberated from the engine near the main wreckage. Flight control continuity was established through impact separations. Figure 1. N2032K wreckage looking southwest. The wreckage of N8525V was found inverted in the same field, about 460 ft west of N2032K. A ground scar that contained a propeller blade was found about 20 ft north of the main wreckage. A shallow ground scar was found north of the wreckage, leading to the fuselage. The wreckage came to rest on a true heading of 310°. A section of the aft fuselage was found separated and faced upward, and the top of the vertical stabilizer was about 30 ft south of the main wreckage (see figure 2). The engine case displayed significant torsional twisting, and flight control continuity was established through impact separations. Figure 2. N8525V wreckage looking east.