Air Tractor AT 602 N5197Y

Summary

On 25 February 2020 at about 16:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT 602 registered N5197Y, operated by David Moss, was involved in an accident near Dumas, Arkansas, 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

25 February 2020 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Dumas, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

33.8700, -91.5269

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 602

Registration

N5197Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1999

Engines

1

Operator

David Moss

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tillar → Tillar

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA109

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line pole during a low-level aerial application flight, which resulted in impact with the bracket and a subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after completing a low-level aerial application over a field, he executed a trim pass on the north side of the field. While flying between 160 and 180 mph, the airplane’s propeller impacted a metal bracket attached to the top of a 35-ft power line pole. After the impact, there were "extreme" vibrations throughout the engine and airframe, and oil from the engine coated the front three windshield panels. The pilot attempted to clear the oil with the windshield wiper system but was not successful. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to perform an emergency landing to a dirt road about 1/2 mile north of the power line pole. Both wings and the rudder sustained substantial damage during the forced landing.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.