Air Tractor AT 602 N602NY

Summary

On 3 July 2020 at about 22:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT 602 registered N602NY, operated by PMZ Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Weldon, 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

3 July 2020 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Weldon, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

35.4628, -91.1769

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 602

Registration

N602NY

Category

Airplane

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

PMZ Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Weldon → Weldon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA269

Nobody was injured.

The total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an aerial application flight, the pilot was returning to the airplane’s base when the engine "spooled down” and lost total power. The pilot stated that, when the total loss of engine power occurred, the airplane was established in cruise flight at an altitude of about 400 ft above ground level. He was unable to restore engine power by moving the power and propeller levers to full forward and activating the fuel boost pump and ignitors. The pilot made a “firm” forced landing in an open field. The airplane made a ground loop, which caused the tailwheel to separate and resulted in substantial damage to the aft fuselage. Postaccident examination of the fuel system revealed ample fuel remaining and no evidence of contamination. The engine operated normally during two postaccident ground tests. Thus, the reasons for the total loss of engine power during the accident flight could not be determined with the available evidence from the investigation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.