Air Tractor AT-802A N202AT

Summary

On 14 November 2001 at about 15:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N202AT was involved in an accident near Benton, Louisiana, 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

14 November 2001 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Benton, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

L J Earnst (LS69)

Coordinates

32.6898, -93.7404

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N202AT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Benton → Benton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02LA034

1 person died.

in-flight collision with trees while on final approach to land for an undetermined reason.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The agricultural airplane was returning from its first spray load of the day when it impacted trees and a swampy canal while on final approach to land. The pilot radioed to the ground crew that he was inbound for landing and was not heard from again. The airplane impacted trees located on the east side of the canal and the wreckage was found on the west side of the canal. The flap actuator was found in the 10-degree extension setting. Post-accident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe, engine, or propeller that would have affected the aircraft's performance. Toxicology tests detected 0.037 ug/ml of diphenhydramine in the pilot's blood and an unquantified amount of diphenhydramine in his urine. Diphenhydramine (commonly known by the trade name Benadryl) is an over-the-counter antihistamine used in symptomatic management of allergic symptoms and also for its sedative, antitussive and antispasmodic effects. The American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine conducted a study (Effects of Fexofenadine, Diphenhydramine, and Alcohol on Driving Performance) on the effects of diphenhydramine on driving performance. The results of that study indicated that "Participants had significantly better coherence after taking alcohol or fexofenadine (Allegra) than after taking diphenhydramine...After participants took diphenhydramine, driving performance was poorest, indicating that diphenhydramine had a greater impact on driving than alcohol did."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.