Air Tractor Inc AT-502B accident near Vidalia, LA
On October 24, 2023, an Air Tractor Inc AT-502B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Vidalia, LA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 24, 2023
- Place
- Vidalia, LA
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor Inc AT-502B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.547°N, 91.452°W
- NTSB ID
- 20231024193292
Official records · CEN24FA021
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 24, 2023, about 0910 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B airplane, N5180W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Vidalia, Louisiana. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. Eyewitnesses observed the airplane apply seed to a nearby field and then fly to the east. The airplane entered a climbing right-bank turn, collided with a power transmission wire, and descended into trees. Portions of the airplane were seen falling from the airplane as it descended. The airplane was equipped with a Garmin GPSMap 496 and an AgPilotX system. Both devices recorded the accident flight; however, the AgPilotX provided higher resolution data. The airplane departed the pilot’s private strip about 0902 and flew to the field, about 8.5 miles away, to start the aerial application flight. The device did not record an in-flight survey of the field. The data recorded the airplane’s track as it flew about 100 ft agl over the field, climbed to about 300 ft agl, and entered a wide right-bank turn (see figure 1). The airplane’s track crossed through transmission wires that were suspended over the Mississippi River; the distance from the wire strike to the accident site was about 185 yards. Figure 1. AgPilotX plots with the locations of the wire strike (square) and accident site (triangle) noted PERSONNEL INFORMATIONPilot records were not located during the course of the investigation. On the pilot’s most recent application for a medical certifica
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an aerial application flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s cell phone use and the position of the sun, which reduced the pilot’s ability to perceive the location of the power lines.
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Browse: Louisiana · 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.
