Air Tractor AT-802A N806MA

Summary

On 18 July 2007 at about 02:22 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N806MA, operated by US Dept of the Interior, was involved in an accident near Winnemucca, Nevada, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 July 2007 at 02:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Winnemucca, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Winnemucca Muni (WMC)

Coordinates

40.6342, -117.7978

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N806MA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

US Dept of the Interior

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winnemucca → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX07TA222

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain while maneuvering.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane, along with two others, was engaged in dropping fire retardant on a wildfire. The pilot planned on dropping his load into a retardant gap area that was created by the retardant drops of the other two air tanker aircraft. The pilot reported that he "was anxious to get [to the fire] because that fire was definitely on its way through the gap." During the first run of his drop, the pilot flew in a southerly direction heading downhill. After the first drop, the pilot said he "pulled off left and executed a 270-degree right turn to set up for another drop." The pilot began his second drop heading north uphill into rising terrain. After a few moments, the pilot realized the airplane would not out climb the terrain. He attempted a right turn to remain clear of the terrain; however, the airplane impacted about 10 feet below the crest of a hill in a level attitude. The pilot said that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane, and he had been caught by a downdraft during the drop.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.