Air Tractor AT-602 accident near Meridian, MS
On April 15, 2006, an Air Tractor AT-602 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Meridian, MS. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 15, 2006
- Place
- Meridian, MS
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-602 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 32.813°N, 88.706°W
- NTSB ID
- 20060419X00460
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 15, 2006, approximately 1630 central daylight time, a single-engine Air Tractor AT-602 agricultural airplane, N5003E, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering at low altitude near Meridian, Mississippi. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by H&P Flying Service Inc., of Pelahatchie, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from a private airstrip about 1540. According to a witness, the accident airplane was flying in a level attitude "high" above the treetops. The airplane then "took a downward turn at an estimated 45-degree angle" before leveling off just above the treetops. As the witness turned her back to the airplane, she heard the sounds of a crash and a "split second later" she heard a second crash. Another witness observed the airplane turn and fly just above the treetops. She then heard a sound "like a wing hitting a tree," followed by a "boom." PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical was issued on February 15, 2006, with no limitations. The pilot's logbooks were not recovered during the course of the investigation; however, the operator reported the pilot's accumulated flight time as 8,600-hours, with 800-hours in the same make and model airplane, an
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees. Contributing factors were the drug impairment and low maneuvering altitude.
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Browse: Mississippi · 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.
