# NTSB CEN25LA008: Air Tractor AT-802A, N212FB, Inguadona, MN, October 8, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 8, 2024, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Inguadona, MN - Coordinates: 46.954187, -94.130432 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9542&lon=-94.1304&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - 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: FAA MSP FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 195281 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA008 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195281/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195281 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA008 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to properly configure the landing gear on the amphibious airplane before a water landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-802A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=0390308), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-802A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=0390308), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-802A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=0390308), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-802A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=0390308), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the amphibious firefighting airplane departed from a land-based airport with a hard surface runway. The pilot reported that he was distracted during the initial climb by another airplane flying towards him on what looked like a low approach. According to the pilot this disrupted his callout flow, and he did not retract the landing gear. The flight was part of a training event, and the pilot was supposed to scoop water at a lake northwest of the scene of a mock fire. When he arrived at the intended lake another firefighting airplane had just scooped water and advised him to use a south to north scoop line. The pilot stated that he did his pre-scoop checklist, putting his hand on the landing gear lever and verbalizing “handle forward, four blue for the water,” as he was watching the other airplane. He said it did not register that the landing gear lever was aft and not forward or that there were four green lights instead of four blue. When the airplane landed it decelerated quickly and nosed over before settling upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings. The pilot egressed the airplane without incident and saw the floats had separated from the airplane and that the landing gear were extended. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N212FB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N212FB), registered now, S/N 802A-0368, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-802A - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-802A](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a) (registry code 0390308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67F](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-67f) (registry code 52290, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 802A-0368 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 1861.6 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6-67F 1600 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Firefighting, Part 137 - Operator: Aero Spray Inc, doing business as Dauntless Air - Registered owner: Aero Spray Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 22, 2024, 429.6 hours before - Departed: KBRD, Brainerd, MN - Destination: KBRD, Brainerd, MN - Flight plan: Company VFR - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 10, 2024; seat: single; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 11,650 total, 680 in this make and model, 10,900 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KXVG, 4 nm away - METAR: KXVG 081753Z AUTO 17003KT 10SM CLR 17/01 A3006 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 20241008015699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241008015699A), Oct 8, 2024: Air Tractor Inc AT-802A, Remer, MN, Substantial damage. The PIC preflighted and started engines, announced his movement on CTAF 122.7. And began his taxi at 13:43 CDT. The following took place between 13:47… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195281. 5.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17826215&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN25LA008%20-%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17827106&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN25LA008%20-%20Photos-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.