- Date
- July 16, 1982, 05:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Yuma, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8538SAir Tractor 301
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 16, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820716029549A
- Case key
- 73116
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 pilot had completed his last load of the day and was en route back to the airport. According to witnesses, the aircraft entered a nose high attitude, then the nose dropped and the plane entered a spin. It struck the ground before recovering from the spin. An examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact failure of the airframe or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8538S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor 301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0238
- Airframe hours
- 2,700
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 137
- Operator
- Valley Sprayer & Duster
- Registered owner
- Valley Sprayer & Duster
- Departed
- Yuma, AZ
- Destination
- Yuma, AZ
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 250 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 194 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.