# NTSB CEN25LA187: Air Tractor AT-602, N216TA, Goudeau, LA, May 23, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 23, 2025, 14:35 local (19:35 UTC)
- Place: Goudeau, LA
- Coordinates: 30.871859, -92.014285 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.8719&lon=-92.0143&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 2, 2025
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Baton Rouge FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200219
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA187
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200219/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200219
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA187

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with soft terrain conditions during the landing which resulted in a loss of directional and a subsequent nose-over.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md)
- [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-602, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that during the landing on a dry grass airstrip, the airplane encountered a soft terrain area on the runway. The airplane was then pulled into a softer area toward the edge of the runway where it nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing leading edge and ribs and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented by refraining from operating on airstrips with soft runways.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N216TA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N216TA), registered now, S/N 602-1227, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602
- Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-602](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602) (registry code 0390309) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-65ag) (registry code 52109, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 602-1227
- Year built: 2013
- Airframe hours: 7207.5
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65AG 1200 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Tailwinds Air Inc, doing business as Tailwinds Air Inc
- Registered owner: Tailwinds Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Airport: PVT, Private, runway 360, 2,400 × 149 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 25, 2025; seat: center; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 38,430 total, 7,100 in this make and model, 38,085 as pilot in command, 422 in the last 90 days, 155 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: AEX, 50 nm away

## 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 20250523012299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250523012299A), May 23, 2025: Air Tractor Inc AT-602, Goudeau, LA, Substantial damage. Aircraft landed on grass airstrip. Heavy rain the previous week resulted in soft terrain causing aircraft to nose over, coming to rest inverted.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200219. 20.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 19.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19265980&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master%203_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 696 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19267566&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-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.