Air Tractor AT-502B N8521Z

Summary

On 30 August 2007 at about 05:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B registered N8521Z, operated by Thomas A Wood, was involved in an accident near Salome, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 August 2007 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Salome, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Vicksburg Farms Airstrip (NONE)

Coordinates

33.6750, -113.7747

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-502B

Registration

N8521Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas A Wood

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salome → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA07CA244

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the tailwind condition and failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll/run, which resulted in a ground loop.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, during the downwind takeoff on Runway 27 "...the tail came up at the 'normal spot' then went back down. I wasn't going to get airborne by the end of the airstrip and attempted to stop the airplane." The pilot stated that the airplane then ground looped with the left wing contacting the ground, turning the airplane 180 degrees and coming to rest upright facing the southeast. Damage to left wing included both the front and rear spars being bent. The pilot reported that the airstrip is a one-way strip running east and west, with takeoffs to the west only. The pilot reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 135 degrees magnetic estimated at 10 knots, with gusts estimated at 20 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.