Air Tractor AT-402 N1524R

Summary

On 17 March 1997 at about 20:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-402 registered N1524R was involved in an accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 March 1997 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

34.2110, -92.0093

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-402

Registration

N1524R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wabbaseka → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA127

1 person died.

failure of the pilot to see-and-avoid the tower. The proximity of the tower was a related factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The agricultural airplane was being flown to a field of winter wheat for application of fertilizer. When it was about 1/4 mile north of the field, the right wing of the airplane impacted an antenna tower. The outboard section of the right wing was severed by the impact, and the airplane then entered an uncontrolled descent and collided with the ground. According to the operator, the pilot was familiar with the area and had worked this field previously. Toxicology tests of the pilot's blood showed 0.642 mcg/ml fluoxetine (Prozac, an antidepressant), 0.676 mcg/ml norfluoxetine (metabolite of fluoxetine), and an undetermined amount of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (metabolite of marihuana) and phenylpropanolamine. Tests of his urine showed 0.020 mcg/ml tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid and an undetermined amount of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine. Fluoxetine was not approved by the FAA for this pilot's use while flying.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.