# NTSB FTW02LA120: Air Tractor AT-502, N91905, Lamesa, TX, April 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 15, 2002, 12:02 local (17:02 UTC) - Place: Lamesa, TX - Coordinates: 32.729106, -101.949577 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7291&lon=-101.9496&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Pratt & Whitney, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54522 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA120 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54522/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54522 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA120 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to contamination of the fuel system. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - fuel system - contamination (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis The 22,894-hour pilot reported that after a "normal" takeoff he reduced the throttle to cruise power and the "engine started losing power." During a forced landing, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. Examination of the engine by a Pratt & Whitney representative revealed that the P3 air filter, low pressure fuel pump filter, and the fuel line between the fuel control unit (FCU) and the oil/fuel heat exchanger contained dirt and water contamination. The 14 fuel nozzles were removed and flow checked. One nozzle met the manufacturer's specifications, one nozzle was completely obstructed, and the remaining 12 nozzles displayed "varying degrees of streaking." ## Factual narrative On April 15, 2002, at 1202 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502 agricultural airplane, N91905, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Lamesa, Texas. The airplane was registered to a private individual who was doing business as Hogg Flying Service of Lamesa, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. 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 originated from the Lamesa Municipal Airport, Lamesa, Texas, at 1155. According to the 22,894-hour pilot, the airplane departed from runway 16 with a load of granular fertilizer. The pilot reported that after a "normal" takeoff he reduced the throttle to cruise power and the "engine started losing power." A forced landing was executed to a soft field 1.5 miles from the departure runway, during which the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The FAA inspector, who examined the airplane at the accident site, reported that both wings sustained structural damage and the engine was displaced from the engine firewall. According to a representative from Pratt & Whitney (P&W) who examined the airplane, two propeller blades were curled, one propeller blade was bent aft, and the propeller spinner remained attached. The high pressure fuel filter bowl was removed and "large amounts of very fine sand/dirt [were found] between the pleats" of the fuel filter. The engine was removed from the aircraft and transported to P&W in Addison, Texas, for examination. The engine was examined at P&W under supervision of the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge. The P3 air filter was removed and dirt contamination was present in the wire screen; however, there was no water present. The low pressure fuel pump was removed and its filter was contaminated with water and dirt. The fuel line between the fuel control unit (FCU) and the oil/fuel heat exchanger contained water contamination. The 14 fuel nozzles were removed and flow checked. One nozzle met the manufacturer's specifications, one nozzle was completely obstructed, and the remaining 12 nozzles displayed "varying degrees of streaking." The high pressure fuel pump and FCU were removed as one assembly and sent to the P&W facility in Canada for further examination. The low pressure fuel pump was removed and sent to S&T Accessories, Inc., in New Braunfels, Texas, for further testing. The turbine section was boroscoped and the blades for the second stage turbine were intact. Furthermore, the blade tips and their respective shrouds did not display rub marks or scoring. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N91905](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N91905-2012-10-11), registration cancelled 2012-10-11, S/N 502-0226, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Air Tractor AT-502 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-502](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (registry code 0390303) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 502-0226 - Airframe hours: 3623.6 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG 680 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Glenn Hogg - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, January 8, 2002 - Departed: 2F5, Lamesa, TX - Airport: 2F5, Lamesa Municipal, runway 16, 4,999 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 18, 2000; seat: front; flight hours: 22,894 total, 6,894 in this make and model, 22,894 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 15 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: MAF, 65 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 20020415005639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020415005639A), Apr 15, 2002: Airtrc AT502, Lamesa, TX, No damage. (-23) On April 15, 2002 at 1202 CDT, N91905 an air tractor AT-502 agricultural aircraft was destroyed during a forced landing following a loss of engine power… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 26, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54522. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 281 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428353&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428354&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Engine Teardown (item 3, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428355&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Engine%20Teardown-Redacted.PDF - Excerpt from Pratt & Whitney Report (item 4, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40210937&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Pratt%20%26%20Whitney%20Report-Master.PDF - Excerpt from Airframe and Engine Logbooks (item 5, .PDF, 456 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428356&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Logbooks-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 6, .PDF, 335 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428357&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 7, .PDF, 185 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428358&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.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.