Air Tractor AT-402A N4544S

Summary

On 2 April 2012 at about 14:10 local time, a Air Tractor AT-402A registered N4544S, operated by Nelson Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Ganado, Texas, 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

2 April 2012 at 14:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Ganado, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Coastal Flying Service (NONE)

Coordinates

28.9825, -96.4122

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-402A

Registration

N4544S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Nelson Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Granado → Granado

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA221

Nobody was injured.

The improper positioning of the hopper vent, which allowed chemicals to escape and cover the airplane's windshield.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

On the day before the accident, the pilot installed dry fertilizer equipment on the airplane. Later that afternoon, the pilot removed the dry fertilizer equipment and installed spray booms and a spray pump in preparation for dispensing a liquid chemical the next day. The following day, during the takeoff roll, chemicals started covering the windshield, and the windshield washer had no effect. The pilot lost all outside visual references and was unable to maintain level flight. The airplane impacted the ground and slid to a stop. Postaccident examination revealed that the hopper vent had not been turned around. The hopper was still pressurized and chemicals blew out of the hopper lid onto the windshield.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.