Air Tractor 502B accident near Belle Glade, FL
On April 8, 2003, an Air Tractor 502B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Belle Glade, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 8, 2003
- Place
- Belle Glade, FL
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 502B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 26.701°N, 80.662°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030414X00497
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 8, 2003, about 0745 eastern daylight time, an Air Tractor 502B, N6037H, registered to and operated by Glades Ag Services, Inc., and an Air Tractor 502, N7318K, registered to LTI Aviation Services, Inc., also operated by Glades Ag Services, Inc., collided on runway 09/27 at Belle Glade State Municipal Airport, Belle Glade, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for either flight which were operating in accordance with 14 CFR Part 137, as aerial application flights. Both airplanes were destroyed in the resulting postcrash fire and the commercial-rated pilot of N6037H was not injured. The commercial-rated pilot of N7318K was fatally injured. The flight of N6037H was originating at the time of the accident, while the flight of N7318K originated about 0700, from the Belle Glade State Municipal Airport, Belle Glade, Florida. The pilot of N6037H reported that on the day of the accident, there were eight agricultural airplanes operating from the airport. The weather was good with a light wind from the southeast. Slight early morning haze was present; there was no fog. The east/west oriented runway does not have a parallel taxiway but there is a taxiway that runs north/south which intersects the runway. While taxiing north on the taxiway towards the runway before takeoff, he looked for approaching traffic from the east and west; he did not see any. He taxied onto the runway towards the approach end of runway 9 for his third flight than day. He began his takeoff roll and only observed the other airplane
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to use on-board communication radios to advise takeoff and landing intentions, the reduction of visibility of the pilot-in-command of N6037H due to sun glare during takeoff, and the poor in-flight planning by the pilot-in-command of N7318K, for his intentional landing downwind.
More accidents in FL
- Grumman G-73T, Dec 19, 2005
- Beech B90, Jan 5, 1994
- Beech B-90, Sep 3, 1999
- Cessna 182B, Feb 7, 1982
- Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47, Jun 7, 2012
Browse: Florida · 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.
