| Date: | Thursday 15 August 1991 |
| Time: | 19:41 LT |
| Type: | Air Tractor AT-502 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N4535K |
| MSN: | 502-0104 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Engine model: | P&W PT6A-34 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Clovis, NM -
United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Portales, NM (Q34) |
| Destination airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:THE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS LAST SWATH RUN OF THE DAY AT DUSK. HE SAID HE DIDN'T SEE A RISE IN THE TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE FIELD AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO STRIKE A DIRT BERM. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. HE DUMPED HIS LOAD OF FERTILIZER/FUNGICIDES AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT.
Probable Cause: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM RISING/UNEVEN TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES FOR THE PILOT.
Accident investigation:
|
|
| | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Report number: | DEN91LA114 |
| Status: | Investigation completed |
| Duration: | 1 year and 6 months |
| Download report: | Final report
|
|
Sources:
NTSB DEN91LA114
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 |
ASN Update Bot |
Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 11-Apr-2024 12:52 |
ASN Update Bot |
Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:

CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation