# NTSB LAX99TA274: Air Tractor AT-802A, N9190G, Elko, NV, August 19, 1999

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: August 19, 1999, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Elko, NV
- Coordinates: 40.949638, -115.7891 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9496&lon=-115.7891&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 22, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 47120
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99TA274
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47120/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99TA274

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate terrain/obstacle clearance altitude margin while engaged in fire fighting operations.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, maneuvering - aerial application
  - object - tree(s)
  - weather condition - downdraft
  - clearance - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The pilot was on a fire retardant application run.  He successfully dropped half his load on the fire and went around for another run.  On the second pass, the aircraft encountered a strong downdraft as it neared the release point and the pilot recovered at a low altitude.  During this process, the left outer wing collided with the top of a juniper tree.  The pilot returned to Elko and landed.  The most outboard 4 feet of the wing leading edge was crushed aft with rib damage.

## Factual narrative

On August 19, 1999, at 1500 hours Pacific daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802A, N9190G, collided with a tree during a fire fighting aerial retardant application near Elko, Nevada.  The aircraft was operated as a public-use aircraft under contract to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), for wildfire suppression operations.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area aerial application operation conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.  The aircraft sustained substantial damage.  The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.  The flight originated about 1430 at the Elko airport on the day of the accident and was responding to a wildfire on BLM land.

The pilot reported that he was following a larger aircraft on a fire application run.  He successfully dropped half his retardant load on the fire and went around for another run.  On the second pass, the aircraft encountered a strong downdraft as it neared the release point and the pilot recovered at a low altitude.  During this process, the left outer wing collided with the top of a juniper tree.  The pilot returned to Elko and landed.  The most outboard 4 feet of the wing leading edge was crushed aft with rib damage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9190G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9190G-2025-10-04), registration cancelled 2025-10-04, S/N 802A-0006, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Air Tractor AT-802A
- Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-802A](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-802a) (registry code 0390308) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52034, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 006
- Airframe hours: 1449
- Engines: P&W PT6A-65 1200 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Public aircraft, Part 91
- Operator: U.S. Dept Of Interior, Blm
- Registered owner: First National Bank Of W. Tx
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 1999, 60 hours before
- Departed: EKO
- Flight plan: Company VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 12,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: EKO

## 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 19990819012949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990819012949A), Aug 19, 1999: Airtrc AT802A, Elko, NV, Substantial damage. Acft was involved in a fire fighting mission when its left wing tip struck a tree, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on August 19, 1999, at 1426 hours…

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.

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