Accident Air Tractor AT-602 N8508P,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 213183
 
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Date:Wednesday 11 July 2018
Time:06:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic AT6T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Air Tractor AT-602
Owner/operator:D-Ger LLC
Registration: N8508P
MSN: 602-0670
Year of manufacture:2003
Total airframe hrs:6965 hours
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Wheatley, AR -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Agricultural
Departure airport:Brinkley, AR (M36)
Destination airport:Brinkley, AR (M36)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
A witness reported that the commercial pilot departed on the agricultural application flight to spray a 40-acre field about 5 miles from the airport. He reported that the pilot had loaded the airplane with 400 gallons of chemical before the flight and that the airplane's fuel tanks were full. There were no witnesses to the accident. The wreckage was found in a wooded area between two open fields about 1/3 mile west of the application field. Examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane impacted the top of a berm in an approximate wings-level attitude. Flight control continuity could not be established from the flight controls to their respective attach points on the flight control surfaces due to impact and fire damage; however, all control separations were consistent with overload failure or fire damage. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed characteristics consistent with significant engine power at the time of impact. Examination revealed no anomalies and that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine.

The airplane's wings-level impact attitude is not consistent with a loss of control, and there was no indication of a wire or tree strike either in the wreckage or in the area surrounding the accident site. Toxicology testing and autopsy of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation; therefore, the reason the pilot did not maintain clearance from terrain could not be determined.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN18FA263
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB
FAA register: 2) http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8508P

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
12-Jul-2018 19:27 Captain Adam Added
12-Nov-2019 17:48 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ]

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