- Date
- July 30, 2021, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Sumner, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9197FAir Tractor AT-802A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20210730008679A
- Case key
- 103668
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 adequate clearance from a windmill while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
Findings · 3
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, while maneuvering over a field for the aerial application flight, the airplane’s wing struck a windmill that he did not see. The airplane subsequently collided with terrain and a postimpact fire ensued, which destroyed the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9197F
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-802A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0009
- Built
- 1994
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney PT6A-67AG, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Aero Tech Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FSU · Ft Sumner, NM
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B, 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
- 61
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 21, 2021
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,041 total · 400 in this make and model · 2,986 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 13 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KCVS, 54 nm away
- METAR
- KCVS 301958Z AUTO 16013G16KT 10SM SCT070 SCT200 31/14 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP170 T03060142 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 15.4 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.
Other investigations on N9197F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.