- Date
- June 2, 1998, 14:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Clewiston, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N7318KAir Tractor AT-502
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980602024209A
- Case key
- 38531
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout while taxiing for takeoff.
Analysis
The pilot stated that as he was taxiing out for takeoff, crossing a culvert, he was too close to the edge of the culvert. The dirt edge collapsed and the right main landing gear slid into the ditch.
Factual narrative
On June 2, 1998, at about 1450 eastern daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, N7318K, registered to LTI Aviation Services Inc., operated by Air Crop Care Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, slid into a ditch while taxiing for takeoff in the vicinity of Clewiston , Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating from a road at the time of the accident .
Witnesses and the pilot stated, he taxied too close to the edge of a culvert that was crossing the road. The edge of the dirt next to the culvert collapsed and the airplane slid into the ditch.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7318K
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502-0008
- Airframe hours
- 4,823
- Engine
- P&W PT6-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Air Corp Care Inc.
- Registered owner
- Lti
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 10, 1997 · 138 hours before
- Departed
- N/A · Clewston, FL
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
- 37
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,625 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 5,625 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 55 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7318K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.