# NTSB CEN25LA219: Air Tractor AT-502B, N114WL, Charleston, MO, June 23, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 22, 2025, 19:18 local (Jun 23, 2025, 00:18 UTC)
- Place: Charleston, MO
- Coordinates: 36.8493, -89.37453
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8493&lon=-89.3745&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: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- 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: FAA - St. Louis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200378
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA219
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200378/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200378
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA219

## Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control during the spray pass, which resulted in impact with vegetation and terrain.

## 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-502B, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0390307), [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.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-502B, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=0390307), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that during a spray pass to a field, the airplane started to “drop”. The pilot was not able to recover from the descent with the addition of power and impacted vegetation and terrain. During the impact sequence, the engine separated from the fuselage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot and operator reported no mechanical issues with the airframe or engine.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N114WL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N114WL), registered now, S/N 502B-2960, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B
- Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-502B](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502b) (registry code 0390307) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-34ag) (registry code 52251, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 502B-2960
- Year built: 2014
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG 750 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Thompson Flying Service LLC
- Registered owner: Thompson Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Airport: CHQ, Mississippi County, runway 18/36, 3,196 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 21; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 23, 2024; seat: center; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,524 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 1,481 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 150 in the last 30 days, 12 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KCIR, 15 nm away
- METAR: KCIR 230035Z AUTO 19004KT 10SM CLR 32/24 A3011 RMK AO2 T03210236

## 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 20250622010019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250622010019A), Jun 22, 2025: Air Tractor Inc AT-502B, Charleston, MO, Destroyed. On June 22, 2025, at approximately 19:26 CDT, the PIC of [privacy data omitted], an Air tractor AT-502B, departed the Mississippi County Airport (kchq),…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200378. 1.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19298943&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_N114WL_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Record of conversation - FAA inspector (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19299519&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN25LA219%20-%20MOR%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 365 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19299337&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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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