Air Tractor AT 502 N6135P

Summary

On 2 July 2017 at about 15:40 local time, a Air Tractor AT 502 registered N6135P, operated by Coastal Flying Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Edna, Texas, 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

2 July 2017 at 15:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Edna, Texas, United States

Coordinates

28.9861, -96.7589

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 502

Registration

N6135P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1995

Engines

1

Operator

Coastal Flying Service Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ganado → Ganado

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA385

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid a tower during an agricultural application flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an agricultural application flight, he was focused on the top of electrical poles that paralleled the field. He added that he crossed between the electrical poles and was focused on the pole to the right of the airplane. Once he crossed the top wire, he focused his attention forward, but added that he "was staring at a 30-ft tower just to the left of the nose" of the airplane. The airplane struck the tower and then impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.