# NTSB CEN25LA164: Air Tractor AT802, N4025K, Atlantic Ocean, Canada, April 29, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 29, 2025, 08:40 local (08:40 UTC)
- Place: Atlantic Ocean, Canada
- Coordinates: 46.951667, -49.641667
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9517&lon=-49.6417&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Unknown: Missing aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Air Tractor, Inc., Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Transportations Safety Board of Canada
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200088
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA164
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200088/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200088
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA164

## Probable cause

The airplane’s impact with the ocean for undetermined reasons based on the available evidence.

## Findings

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

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)
- [Unknown: Missing aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/990/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The float equipped airplane was en route on a ferry flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, to Santa Maria, Portugal, when 130 nautical miles east-southeast of St. John’s, the airplane disappeared from radar over the Atlantic Ocean. An emergency locator transmitter was activated shortly after. Search and rescue assets discovered one of the two pontoons, a plastic container containing a backpack, a seat cushion, and an empty life raft floating on the ocean surface in the vicinity where the airplane went missing. An oil slick was also observed on the water next to the pontoon. The search continued through the following day. The airplane and pilot have not been located. ADS-B information showed the airplane took off and climbed to approximately 6,000 ft msl and proceeded on an easterly heading. About 21 minutes into the flight, the pilot reported picking up ice and requested a higher altitude. He was cleared and climbed to 7,000 ft. About 35 minutes into the flight, the airplane made a slight right turn and proceeded east-southeast. About 1 hour and 6 minutes into the flight, the airplane began a 2,000 ft/min. descent to the ocean surface. Just before reaching the surface, the airplane made a 180o turn toward the west. ADS-B data ended 1 hour and 10 minutes after takeoff.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N4025K (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR AT802 (A)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 802A-1187
- Year built: 2025
- Airframe hours: 19
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney, Canada PT6A-65AG 1295 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Registered owner: SAAMA Aviation SpA
- Airworthiness certificate: Unknown
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 29, 2025
- Departed: CYYT, St. John's, OF
- Destination: LPAZ, Santa Maria, OF
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 58; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: unknown; seat: center; flight hours: 1.2 total, 1.2 in this make and model, 1.2 as pilot in command, 1.2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 45° at 26 knots
- Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 29.58 inHg
- Observed at: CYYT, 130 nm away

## Docket (17 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200088. 10.0 MB in all.

- Record of meeting (item 1, PDF, 5 pages, 358 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18770891&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Meeting%20with%20TSB,%20Air%20Tractor,%205_7_25-Rel.pdf
- Transportation safety board investigation notes (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18768057&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Chaulk%20notes%20to%20NTSB_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 8 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18953715&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos-Rel.pdf
- ATC audio summary (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18770191&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=25F0173-%20NAV%20CANADA%20ATC%20Wav%20files%20of%20Audio_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- ADS-B data export (item 5, CSV, 175 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18770775&FileExtension=csv&FileName=A25F0173%20ADS-B_Export-Rel.csv
- N4025K flight track (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 384 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18891911&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N4025K%20Flight%20Track-Rel.pdf
- St. john's newfoundland METAR data and NOTAMS (item 7, PDF, 7 pages, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18770322&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=A25F0173%20CYYT%20Weather%20April%2029-Rel.pdf
- Graphical area forecast (item 8, PDF, 6 pages, 932 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18770079&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=A25F0173%20Graphical%20Area%20Forecast%20Icing,%20Turbulence%20%26amp;%20Freezing%20level%20Atlantic%20(GFACN34)-Rel.pdf
- Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 260 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18771239&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Air%20Tractor%20Party%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- NTSB notification (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 208 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18771249&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Notification%20-%20Air%20Tractor%20Inc%20AT-802,%20N4025K,%2029%20April%202025_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Generator control unit replacement (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18770089&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Generator%20Control%20Unit%20Replacement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records, pontoons installation, weight and balance (item 12, PDF, 3 pages, 294 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19024672&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records,%20Pontoons%20Installation,%20and%20Weight%20and%20Balance-Redacted.-Rel.pdf
- Avionics installation records (item 13, PDF, 1 page, 758 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18777896&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=802A-1187%20LBE%20(1)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA form 337 (item 14, PDF, 2 pages, 377 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18778093&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N4025K%20Major%20Repair%20and%20Alteration_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pal aerospace search and rescue information (item 15, PDF, 5 pages, 467 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18779849&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=PAL%20Aerospace%20Search%20and%20Rescue%20Information_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Canadian coast guard e-mail (item 16, PDF, 1 page, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18784308&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=A25F0173%20Occurrence%20file%20_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Search and rescue logs (item 17, PDF, 4 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18895416&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Search%20and%20Rescue%20Logs_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.

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