Air Tractor AT-602 N422TW

Summary

On 5 May 2026 at about 21:40 local time, a Air Tractor AT-602 registered N422TW, operated by Sug-Air LLC, was involved in an accident near El Campo, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 2026 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

El Campo, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Tradewind Ag Airport (8TE8)

Coordinates

29.1582, -96.2259

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-602

Registration

N422TW

Category

Airplane

Year built

2016

Engines

1

Operator

Sug-Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Campo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN26LA177

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff resulting in a collision with a building during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, during the takeoff and initial climb to the south, the airplane encountered a “wind disturbance” which resulted in an uncommanded roll to the left. The left wing subsequently dropped and contacted a small wooden shed. The airplane yawed to the left, crossed a road, and impacted in an adjacent cornfield where it came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and he should have climbed higher to avoid downdrafts from structures located near the runway. The pilot reported the winds were 15 to 20 knots from an unknown direction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.