Air Tractor AT402 N5044Y

Summary

On 17 June 2019 at about 16:41 local time, a Air Tractor AT402 registered N5044Y, operated by Crop-Serv Inc., was involved in an accident near Liberal, Kansas, 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

17 June 2019 at 16:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Liberal, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

37.0431, -100.9211

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT402

Registration

N5044Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1997

Engines

1

Operator

Crop-Serv Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Meade → Meade

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA352

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to see and avoid a windmill tower while maneuvering at low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during an agricultural application flight, his attention was focused "on a shed and electrical lines." While maneuvering to the north at a low altitude, the airplane's right wing collided with an unseen galvanized windmill tower. He reported that the tower had blended into the gray sky. He attempted to control the airplane, but it descended and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. 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.