Air Tractor AT-802A N805DG

Summary

On 26 July 2024 at about 01:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N805DG, operated by Wakefield Aircraft LLC, was involved in an accident near Izee, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

26 July 2024 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Izee, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.0333, -119.2458

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N805DG

Category

Airplane

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Wakefield Aircraft LLC

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Fire Fighting

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burns → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24FA255

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On July 25, 2024, about 1800 mountain daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802A, N805DG, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Izee, Oregon. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as public use for the purpose of firefighting. Witnesses reported that the airplane was supporting fire-fighting suppression operations and operating out of Burns Municipal Airport (BNO), Burns, Oregon. While the flight of two airplanes were enroute for their third drop, about 15 miles west from their fire suppression site, the pilot who was in the trailing airplane saw the accident airplane, who was in the lead position, maneuver away from column of smoke, near the northwestern corner of an active Temporary Fright Restrictions (TFR) for Falls fire. The trailing pilot reported that he did not want to maneuver through the TFR corner due to visibility concerns and that the accident pilot agreed and told him to take over the lead position. The trailing pilot turned to the west and saw the accident pilot maneuver his airplane to a trailing position behind him. A few seconds later, the pilot lost sight of the accident airplane. Preliminary radar data showed that the accident airplane maneuvered to an in-trail position behind the other airplane, and shortly after, initiated a right turn to the northeast. The last recorded radar data target showed that the airplane was about 700 ft about the ground (agl), at a groundspeed of 175 knots, on a northerly heading, about 0.9 miles south of the accident site. The airplane impacted terrain about 30 nautical miles north-northwest from BNO. Examination of the accident site revealed that the wreckage debris path was about 1,000 ft in length, and oriented on a heading of about 240° magnetic. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a series of damaged trees. The debris path extended about 280 ft to a ground scar, that was consistent with the left wing. A large tree, located about 380 ft from the FIPC had impact marks on the side of it. Pieces of the hopper, engine, propeller, and fuselage were found near the tree. All major components of the airplane were observed throughout the debris path. The forward area of the fuselage came to rest upright against a tree, on a magnetic heading of about 060°, at an elevation of 5,730 ft mean sea level. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination. Figure 1: Radar data with the accident site, departure airport and fire suppression site locations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.