Air Tractor Inc AT-602 accident near Drew, MS
On July 26, 2011, an Air Tractor Inc AT-602 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Drew, MS. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 26, 2011
- Place
- Drew, MS
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor Inc AT-602 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.806°N, 90.408°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110726X00925
Official records · ERA11LA424
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 26, 2011, about 0705 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-602, N8525L, registered to Sturdivant Brothers Flying Service Inc, collided with a rice field while maneuvering near Drew, Mississippi. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The agricultural flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. An employee for the flying service stated the pilot departed from their private airstrip in the vicinity of Glendora, Mississippi, to spray a soybean field between Glendora and Drew, at about 0605. According to company personnel, the pilot obtained a weather briefing via computer before departing. Company personnel added that the weather was cloudy when the pilot departed on the flight. The owner of the airplane stated personnel at the airstrip noted that it was a little foggy when the pilot departed. A friend of the pilot stated he observed the airplane over Drew, Mississippi at 0700, which is about 7 miles from the crash site. He stated the weather was very foggy. The wreckage was located by an employee of a plantation owner about 7 miles east of Drew, at 0713. He also stated that the conditions were very foggy with about 150 feet forward visibility. He called the plantation owner, who arrived at the accident site 1 minute later. The plantation owner further stated that the fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife and the forward visibility was about 200 feet. PERSONNEL I
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to conduct a visual flight rules aerial application flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in flight collision with the ground while maneuvering.
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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.
