Air Tractor 402 accident near Slocomb, AL
On September 24, 1996, an Air Tractor 402 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Slocomb, AL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 24, 1996
- Place
- Slocomb, AL
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 402 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 31.110°N, 85.589°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06791
NTSB summary
On September 24, 1996, about 1642 central daylight time, an Air Tractor, Inc., AT-402, N9130M, registered to Southeastern Aircraft, crashed during an aerial application flight near Slocomb, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. The commercial-rated pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated about 1620 from Madrid, Alabama. According to a witness who owns the property being treated, he observed the airplane during a spray pass flying eastbound about 30 feet above ground level. He then observed the airplane initiate a turn to the left to reverse direction and described the angle of bank to be slightly greater than he has seen before during spray operations. He then lost sight of the airplane and heard the impact. He further stated that he heard the engine the entire time and it sounded normal. According to an FAA inspector who examined the accident site, the airplane impacted the ground inverted while on a heading of about 325 degrees magnetic. The initial impact ground scar was about 2 1/2 feet deep and the wreckage path was about 300 feet long. The FAA inspector also stated that sufficient fuel to sustain engine operation was on board the airplane at the time of the accident. Examination of the airplane by a representative of the airframe manufacturer revealed no evidence of flight control preimpact failure or malfunction. The flaps were determined to be fully retracted and the propeller was separated aft of the propeller crankshaft flange. Visual examination of t
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed.
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Browse: Alabama · Air Tractor aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
