Date:	Tuesday 9 August 2022
Time:	17:09 LT
Type:	Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss
Owner/operator:	Aero Spray Inc Dba Dauntless Air
Registration:	N830DA
MSN:	802A-0930
Year of manufacture:	2022
Total airframe hrs:	105 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67F
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Lake Livingston, Polk County, TX -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Fire fighting
Departure airport:	Lufkin Angelina County Airport, TX (LFK/KLFK)
Destination airport:	Lufkin Angelina County Airport, TX (LFK/KLFK)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot was participating in firefighting operations and reported seven water tank re-fills (scoops) from the lake from the accident location before he stopped to refuel. Upon returning for the eighth scoop, the wind had increased, and the lake surface conditions were rougher than before. The pilot found it difficult to fill the water tank in the rough surface conditions and decided to abort his scoop run early. He closed the water filling scoops while trying to keep the nose of the airplane straight. He added power and rudder and had not transitioned to flight when the nose veered uncontrollably, and the airplane rotated almost 180°. The floats separated from the airplane and the right wing struck the water and sustained substantial damaged.
Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Damage signatures did not indicate the airplane hit an object in the water. Recorded data showed the propeller rpm decreased to zero over three seconds, followed by the airplane rotating 153° to the right. A weather report from a nearby airport showed gusty wind conditions and the terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) predicted thunderstorms in the vicinity around the time of the accident.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff from a lake in gusting wind conditions.

NTSB CEN22LA386
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=830DA

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N830DA/history/20220809/2155Z/KLFK/L%2030.82498%20-95.11543

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Aug-2022 03:40	Geno	Added
10-Aug-2022 03:47	Geno	Updated [Aircraft type, Source, ]
10-Aug-2022 04:00	RobertMB	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative, ]
10-Aug-2022 05:39	AgOps	Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, ]
10-Aug-2022 06:12	gerard57	Updated [Damage, ]
10-Aug-2022 06:12	gerard57	Updated
10-Aug-2022 12:04	AgOps	Updated [Departure airport, ]
10-Aug-2022 13:13	AgOps	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, ]
11-Aug-2022 02:22	johnwg	Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category, ]
11-Aug-2022 06:27	AgOps	Updated [Source, Category, ]
11-Aug-2022 12:31	johnwg	Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category, ]
11-Aug-2022 14:40	AgOps	Updated [Time, Embed code, ]
12-Aug-2022 19:02	AgOps	Updated [Source, ]
12-Aug-2022 20:04	AgOps	Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code, Narrative, ]
12-Aug-2022 20:05	harro	Updated [Narrative, ]
28-Apr-2024 09:44	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ]
28-Apr-2024 14:28	ASN	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]