Air Tractor AT-802A N749LA
26 July 2022 · Portland, Arkansas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 26 July 2022 at about 22:01 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N749LA, operated by Westwind Air LLC, was involved in an accident near Portland, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:01
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Portland, Arkansas, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.2267, -91.4711
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-802A
- Registration
- N749LA
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2021
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Westwind Air LLC
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Lake Village → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA22FA338
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane during aerial application and ferry operations.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of an Air Tractor AT-802A was applying chemical on the first pass over a cotton field in a southerly direction. Simultaneously, an AT-802 was ferrying in a southeasterly direction, between 400 and 500 ft above the ground. As the AT-802A pilot completed his pass and climbed to reverse the direction of turn, his airplane collided with the ferrying AT-802 passing overhead. The AT-802A continued in a left turn and crashed into a soybean field, killing the pilot. The AT-802 began to spin and descended vertically to the ground; its pilot was seriously injured. The surviving pilot of the AT-802 later reported that he was unaware that the other pilot was operating in the area. The two pilots were not communicating by radio. Although there may have been some sun glare that could have affected the AT-802A pilot’s visibility, the investigation revealed that both pilots were in positions to see the other airplane in ample time to avoid a collision. An examination of both wreckages did not reveal evidence of a preexisting malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation of the either airplane. Although the Professional Aerial Applicator’s Support System (PAASS) slogan, “Ferry above five (hundred) and stay alive” was known to the AT-802 pilot and was commonly known in the aerial application industry, this investigation revealed that both pilots consistently climbed above 500 ft agl during their reverse-direction turns while applying chemical. If the pilot of the AT-802 had flown his airplane at or above 1,000 ft agl, the collision would likely have been avoided.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Tractor AT-802A | N749LA | Westwind Air LLC | Destroyed |
| Air Tractor AT-802 | N214RL | Lassco LLC | Substantial |
Other Air Tractor AT-802A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 2022 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Onalaska, Texas, United States | AERO SPRAY INC DBA Dauntless Air | No injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 2022 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Cranbrook, Canada | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 May 2022 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Weiner, Arkansas, United States | Johnson, Cory and Trampas | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Jan 2021 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Newellton, Louisiana, United States | Tensas Flying Service LLC | Fatal | 1 |
| 17 Nov 2021 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Estes Park, Colorado, United States | CO Fire Aviation Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 30 Jul 2021 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Fort Sumner, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul 2022 | Ayres S2R-T34 | Parkin, Arkansas, United States | Air Aids Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 9 Jun 2022 | Cessna 337G | Greenbrier, Arkansas, United States | Southern Air Service Inc | No injuries | - |
| 26 Oct 2022 | Piper PA-22-160 | Osage, Arkansas, United States | Sbsb, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 14 Feb 2022 | Piper PA22 | Furlow, Arkansas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 2022 | Air Tractor AT-602 | Newport, Arkansas, United States | Central Iowa Agricultural Aviation LLC | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jul 2022 | Beechcraft 35 | Star City, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |