# NTSB CEN24LA216: Air Tractor AT-402, N45123, Perryton, TX, June 6, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 6, 2024, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Perryton, TX · Wheat field
- Coordinates: 36.091768, -100.95169 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0918&lon=-100.9517&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: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Lubbock FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194437
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA216
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194437/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194437
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA216

## Probable cause

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a low-level turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at too low of an altitude to recover.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [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-402, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0390205), [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 · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)
- [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-402, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Fuel system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 181 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md)
- [Fuel system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Design (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/cases.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 181 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022800/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: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Fire/smoke (post-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170/sequence.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 354 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-402, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=0390205), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The operator reported the pilot had completed the low-level aerial application work of applying liquid chemical to a grass field and the hopper was empty. During a right-hand turn, the pilot “turned too hard,” the airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at an altitude too low to allow for recovery. The airplane came to rest upright in a wheat field, a postimpact fire ensued, and the pilot was able to egress from the cockpit. The airplane was destroyed by the postimpact fire. The operator reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N45123](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N45123), registered now, S/N 402-0753 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-402 (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-402](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-402) (registry code 0390205) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52034, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 402-0753
- Year built: 1990
- Airframe hours: 10160.6
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG 680 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Wood Flying, Inc., doing business as Wood Flying, Inc.
- Registered owner: Wood Flying, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, January 29, 2024
- Departed: PYX, Perryton, TX
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 23; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: single; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 631.1 total, 100.8 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observed at: KBPC, 13 nm away
- METAR: KBPC 061815Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR A2997 RMK AO2

## 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 20240606005089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240606005089A), Jun 6, 2024: Air Tractor Inc AT-402, Spearman, TX, Destroyed. On June 6, 2024 at approximately 1424 CDT, an Air tractor 402 registered to and operated by a certificated 137 operator impacted terrain while on an aerial…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194437. 12.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17313442&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N45123%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 9 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17321433&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N45123%20-%20Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- Records of conversation (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17320475&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Records%20of%20Conversation-Rel.pdf
- N45123 - airplane information (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 340 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17329866&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN23LA107%20Airplane%20Information%20Memorandum-Rel.pdf
- N45123 - most recent maintenance records (item 5, PDF, 13 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17313422&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N45123%20-%20Most%20Recent%20Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Air tractor AT-402 airplane flight manual excerpts (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 749 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17321131&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Air%20Tractor%20AT-402%20AFM%20Excerpts-Rel.pdf
- Naaa fly safe messages - aerodynamic stalls and fire-resistant clothing (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 410 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17320402&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Various%20NAAA%20Fly%20Safe%20Messages-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.

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