- Date
- June 12, 2001, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marvell, AR
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6181QAir Tractor AT-502B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010612015039A
- Case key
- 52519
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 improper decision of the driver of the vehicle(ATV) to enter an active airstrip.
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
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) pulled out onto the runway in front of the departing aircraft, which was on takeoff roll approximately halfway down the 1/2-mile long dirt airstrip. The pilot swerved the airplane to the left, and the right wing impacted the roll cage on the ATV. The ATV rolled over under the airplane's right wing, and the airplane continued to the left and impacted a ditch. The left main landing gear separated, the airplane spun around to the left and came to rest upright in a field. The driver of the ATV stated that he thought the airstrip was a "turnabout," and realized a "yellow airplane" was approaching them from behind.
Factual narrative
On June 12, 2001, at 1330 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B single-engine airplane, N6181Q, was substantially damaged following an on-ground collision with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) during takeoff roll from a private dirt airstrip near Marvell, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured, and the two occupants on the ATV received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Phillips County Flying Service Inc., of Marvell, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that during takeoff roll, an ATV rolled out onto the runway directly in front of him, about midway down the 1/2-mile airstrip. The pilot then "swerved" the airplane to the left, and the right wing impacted the roll cage on the ATV. The ATV rolled over under the airplane's right wing, and the airplane continued to the left, through a ditch, and came to rest upright in a field.
The driver of the ATV stated he thought the dirt airstrip was a "turnabout," and realized a "yellow airplane" was approaching them from behind.
According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6181Q
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-0395
- Engine
- P&W PT6-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Phillips County Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Marvell, AR
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- February 28, 2001
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 13,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6181Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.