MIA05LA060

NTSB accident investigation · Air Tractor AT-502B · Avon, MS · February 18, 2005

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 18, 2005, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC)
Place
Avon, MS
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N9114WAir Tractor AT-502B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 28, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20050218001479A
Case key
61048

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, resulting in an inadvertent stall/mush, and impact with terrain.

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.

Loss of control - in flightManeuvering - aerial application
Altitude - lowPilot in command
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

the airplane impacted terrain while conducting aerial application operations. The pilot stated that he began a turn to the left, followed by another turn to the right, when all of a sudden, the airplane started sinking rapidly. He said he pushed the throttle and propeller controls all the way forward, but it did not do any good. The airplane continued to sink rapidly, and it impacted the ground, sliding about 75 yards and impacting a grain bin, before coming to rest. In April, 2005, a Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigator along with representatives from Pratt & Whitney, Canada, examined the accident airplane's engine and accessories at Pratt & Whitney Canada, Quebec, Canada. The examination revealed information consistent with the engine generating power at impact, and no anomalies were noted to exist.

Factual narrative

On February 18, 2005, about 0730 central standard time, an Air Tractor AT-502B, N9114W, registered to and operated by Longwood Flying Service as a Title 14 CFR part 137 agricultural application flight crashed into a field in Avon, Mississippi, while conducting aerial application operations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot received no injuries but the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Avon, Mississippi, the same day, about 0700.

The pilot stated to the NTSB it was his first flight of the day, and was spraying a wheat field. He said he had about 275 to 300 gallons of spray, and about 225 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane, and had made about four or five passes. On the last pass, he said that as he flew the airplane to the east over trees, he then commenced a turn to the left, followed by another turn to the right, when all of a sudden, the airplane started sinking rapidly. He said he pushed the throttle and propeller controls all the way forward, but it did not do any good. The airplane continued to sink rapidly, and it impacted the ground, sliding about 75 yards and impacting a grain bin, before coming to rest.

On April 20-22, 2005, a Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigator along with representatives from Pratt & Whitney, Canada, examined the accident airplane engine and accessories at Pratt & Whitney Canada, Quebec, Canada. The examination revealed information consistent with the engine generating power at impact, and no anomalies were noted to exist with the engine or accessories.

Aircraft

Registration
N9114W
Reported as
Air Tractor AT-502B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
502B-0558
Airframe hours
3,667
Engine
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner
Longwood Flying Service
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · April 1, 2004 · 568 hours before
Departed
Avon, MS
Airport
Private/Longwood

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
50
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 1, 2004
Seat
Front
Flight hours
18,124 total · 9,000 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
60° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
36 °F, dew point 30 °F
Altimeter
30.30 inHg
Observed at
GWO

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.