- Date
- May 16, 2007, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Edmonson, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N120CPAir Tractor AT-402A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Lubbock, Texas
- FAA report
- 20070516006569A
- Case key
- 65801
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 clearance with the crops.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The 16,000-hour commercial pilot allowed the turbine powered agricultural airplane to get too low over the wheat field he was spraying. The landing gear or the airplane became entangled in the wheat crop and the airplane decelerated abruptly. The airplane nose-over and came to rest in the inverted position. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress from the airplane unassisted. The pilot stated on the NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report) that he allowed the aircraft to get too low and was unable to recover. An on scene investigation performed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector determined that there was no mechanical problems. The pilot confirmed the same finding. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage and wings. Weather at the time of the mishap was reported as wind from 110 degrees at 5 knots, visibility of 10 statute miles, temperature 12 degrees Celsius, dew point 8 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.37 inches of Mercury.
Factual narrative
The 16,000-hour commercial pilot allowed the turbine powered agricultural airplane to get too low over the wheat field he was spraying. The landing gear or the airplane became entangled in the wheat crop and the airplane decelerated abruptly. The airplane nose-over and came to rest in the inverted position. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress from the airplane unassisted. The pilot stated on the NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report) that he allowed the aircraft to get too low and was unable to recover. An on scene investigation performed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector determined that there was no mechanical problems. The pilot confirmed the same finding. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage and wings. Weather at the time of the mishap was reported as wind from 110 degrees at 5 knots, visibility of 10 statute miles, temperature 12 degrees Celsius, dew point 8 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.37 inches of Mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N120CP
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-402A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402A-1115
- Airframe hours
- 1,970
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-11AG, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Central Plains Spraying, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2007
- Departed
- Hart, TX
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
- 74
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 16,000 total · 1,960 in this make and model · 15,840 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.37 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVW, 15 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.