Air Tractor AT502 accident near Atmore, AL
On June 16, 2020, an Air Tractor AT502 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Atmore, AL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 16, 2020
- Place
- Atmore, AL
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT502 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.101°N, 87.539°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200616X02410
Official records · ERA20LA217
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 16, 2020, about 0730 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B, N879JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Atmore, Alabama. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. According to the pilot's spouse, he departed earlier on the morning of the accident to dispense two small “loads" of aerial application. On his return home, he called and asked her to come outside of their residence to watch the airplane fly over. She said that the airplane flew over the house before making a climb straight up. The airplane then banked to the left, rolled right, descended straight down, and she heard a loud “boom" shortly thereafter. Two witnesses who were fishing on a nearby lake saw the airplane flying below the tree line before it climbed straight up. They said that the airplane rolled and descended straight down nose-first. They subsequently heard the sound of impact and then silence. The witnesses contacted emergency services and assisted local responders in finding the wreckage. AIRPLANE INFORMATION A review of the airplane’s maintenance records did not reveal any discrepancies that required further review. WRECKAGE INFORMATION A Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the accident site with local authorities to document the wreckage. Review of photos revealed that the wreckage was in a heavily wooded area at the base of a tree. Tree branches displayed freshly cut propeller marks and propeller paint transfers. The nose an
Probable cause
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, spin, and loss of control.
More accidents in AL
- Beech C99, Jul 10, 1991
- Cessna 421A, Jun 22, 1983
- Cessna 421C, Jul 9, 2011
- Piper PA 31, Aug 14, 2016
- Beech 95-B55B, Dec 5, 1992
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.
