Air Tractor AT-802A N60471

Summary

On 7 May 2000 at about 18:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N60471 was involved in an accident near Fort Stockton, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 2000 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Stockton, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.8891, -102.8804

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N60471

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW00TA142

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the antenna tower. A factor was the smoke weather condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness, located approximately 1/4-mile from the accident site, stated that the agricultural airplane was spraying fire retardant on an 8,000-acre fire. The witness observed the airplane bank 'hard to his right' after dropping the fire retardant. The witness reported that 'he [the airplane] was still in his turn or bank when he hit the guy wires of the radio tower.' The witness heard two loud bangs and observed the airplane impact the ground. Multiple strands of cable were found among the aircraft wreckage. The top 80 feet of the 300-foot antenna tower and the associated guide cables were destroyed. There were no mechanical discrepancies found with the airframe or the engine that would have prevented operation of the airplane prior to the accident. The FAA inspector stated that visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident; however, there was 'blowing smoke in the air that may have been a contributing factor.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.