Air Tractor AT 502 accident near Pecan Gap, TX
On April 8, 2020, an Air Tractor AT 502 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pecan Gap, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 8, 2020
- Place
- Pecan Gap, TX
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT 502 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.436°N, 95.849°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200408X83712
Official records · CEN20LA143
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On April 7, 2020, about 1945 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502 airplane, N9185D, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Pecan Gap, Texas. The pilot received fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural flight. The pilot was conducting aerial applications when the accident occurred. There were no witnesses to the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the site noted that the airplane collided with the top of a tree at the edge of the field before it impacted the field. Several airplane pieces, including the engine, were found along the debris path to the main wreckage. A post-crash fire consumed a majority of the fuselage. There were no witnesses to the accident. The engine impact-separated into two pieces during the accident sequence; rotational scoring was observed on the turbine blades. Three propeller blades remained in the propeller hub, which also remained attached to the front section of the engine. Two propeller blade tips were sheared off; each blade exhibited lengthwise and chordwise twisting. After the wreckage was recovered, National Transportation Safety Board investigators examined the fuselage at the salvage facility. The post-crash fire and impact damage limited the extent of the examination; however, no pre-impact discrepancies were noted with the flight controls. The pilot initially survived the accident and received medical care. Neither an autopsy nor toxicological test was performed; however, a review of the pilot’s FAA medical
Probable cause
The pilot did not maintain adequate clearance from tree, which resulted in a collision with a tree and subsequent impact with terrain.
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Browse: Texas · 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.
