- Date
- May 5, 2026, 16:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- El Campo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N422TWAir Tractor AT-602
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO Houston
- FAA report
- 20260505004989A
- Case key
- 202939
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 aircraft control during takeoff resulting in a collision with a building during takeoff.
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
According to the pilot, during the takeoff and initial climb to the south, the airplane encountered a “wind disturbance” which resulted in an uncommanded roll to the left. The left wing subsequently dropped and contacted a small wooden shed. The airplane yawed to the left, crossed a road, and impacted in an adjacent cornfield where it came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and he should have climbed higher to avoid downdrafts from structures located near the runway. The pilot reported the winds were 15 to 20 knots from an unknown direction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N422TW
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-602 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 602-1278
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 4,026
- Engine
- P&W Canada PT6A-60AG, 1,180 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Sug-Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Sug-Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 2026 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- 8TE8 · El Campo, TX
- Airport
- 8TE8 · Tradewind Ag Airport, runway 17, 2,550 × 22 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 13,320 total · 6,000 in this make and model · 12,820 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- KARM, 13 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KARM 052135Z AUTO 18009G17KT 10SM SCT023 SCT029 OVC042 28/22 A2976 RMK AO2 T02750224 TSNO
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 24.9 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.