- Date
- May 27, 2019, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fisher, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N802WWAir Tractor AT802
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190527005259A
- Case key
- 99507
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 directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a ditch.
Findings · 4
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 reported that, after filling the hopper with fertilizer and during the takeoff roll to the north, the airplane "encountered a gust of wind from the southwest." The airplane veered left, exited the airstrip, and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, after filling the hopper with fertilizer (urea), during the takeoff roll to the north, he "encountered a gust of wind from the southwest." The airplane veered left, exited the airstrip to the left, and impacted a ditch. The pilot reported that the wind was 225 º at 20 knots, gusting up to 25 knots. The airplane departed to the north. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N802WW
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT802 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0434
- Built
- 2011
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AG, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Whirlwind Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Larry T. Neal
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- 48AR · Fisher, AR
- Destination
- Fisher, AR
- Airport
- 48AR · Whirlwind Aviation, runway 36, 1,800 × 20 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device
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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 21,198 total · 3,400 in this make and model · 19,741 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F
- Observed at
- KM19, 11 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.