- Date
- July 25, 2017, 06:15 local (11:15 UTC)
- Place
- Trumann, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N802DLAir Tractor AT 802
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170725010049A
- Case key
- 95712
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 improper decision to continue flight in deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in collision with the ground.
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
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he departed his private field for an agricultural application flight and flew northwest about 5 miles. He added that, as he approached the field that he had intended to spray, the visibility rapidly decreased. He began a 180° turn, but the visibility decreased to zero, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 11 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 5 knots, and the cloud celling was overcast at 300 ft.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he departed his private field for an aerial application flight, and flew northwest about 5 miles. He added that, as he approached the field that he had intended to spray, the visibility rapidly decreased. He began a 180o turn but the visibility decreased to zero, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported, about 11 minutes prior to the accident, the wind was from 180° at 5 knots, the cloud celling was overcast at 300 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N802DL
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 802 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0679
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 358
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65AG, 1,280 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 11, 2017
- Departed
- Private Field, AR
- Destination
- Private Field, AR
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 20, 2015
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,900 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 4,900 as pilot in command · 238 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KJBR, 13 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 1, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.