- Date
- July 4, 2024, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brad, TX · lake
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N983LAAir Tractor AT-802
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20240704022029A
- Case key
- 194644
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after encountering a large boat wake.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was performing firefighting activity at the time of the accident. He reported that after scooping a load of water and applying takeoff power, the airplane encountered a large boat wake which caused it to become airborne. However, the pilot did not have sufficient flight control authority to counter act the engine torque. The left float contacted the water, and the airplane veered to the left. The left-wing spar was damaged during the impact sequence. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions before the accident that would have precluded normal airplane operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N983LA
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-802
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802-0983
- Built
- 2022
- Airframe hours
- 228
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F, 1,600 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Firefighting · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Phoenix Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 2024 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- MWL · Mineral Wells, TX
- Destination
- MWL · Mineral Wells, TX
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2023
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 30,000 total · 150 in this make and model · 25,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 7 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KRPH, 13 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KRPH 041935Z AUTO 10007G17KT 10SM FEW065 36/20 A2987
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.