Air Tractor AT-502B N9148C

Summary

On 7 March 2012 at about 17:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B registered N9148C was involved in an accident near Hollandale, Mississippi, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 March 2012 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hollandale, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Hollandale Municipal (14M)

Coordinates

33.1806, -90.8303

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-502B

Registration

N9148C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hollandale → Hollandale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12CA216

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taxiing in gusty wind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was taxiing the tailwheel-equipped agricultural application airplane for takeoff when the airplane encountered a left quartering tailwind gust, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane veered left and departed the left side of the runway. The tailwheel block attaching bolts failed and the tailwheel spring impacted the ground, stopping the airplane's lateral rotation, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage just forward of the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.