Air Tractor AT-802A N830DA

Summary

On 9 August 2022 at about 22:09 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N830DA, operated by AERO SPRAY INC DBA Dauntless Air, was involved in an accident near Onalaska, 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

9 August 2022 at 22:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Onalaska, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Angelina County (LFK)

Coordinates

30.7746, -95.1167

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N830DA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2022

Engines

1

Operator

AERO SPRAY INC DBA Dauntless Air

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Fire Fighting

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lufkin → Lufkin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA386

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff from a lake in gusting wind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was participating in firefighting operations and reported seven water tank re-fills (scoops) from the lake from the accident location before he stopped to refuel. Upon returning for the eighth scoop, the wind had increased, and the lake surface conditions were rougher than before. The pilot found it difficult to fill the water tank in the rough surface conditions and decided to abort his scoop run early. He closed the water filling scoops while trying to keep the nose of the airplane straight. He added power and rudder and had not transitioned to flight when the nose veered uncontrollably, and the airplane rotated almost 180°. The floats separated from the airplane and the right wing struck the water and sustained substantial damaged. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Damage signatures did not indicate the airplane hit an object in the water. Recorded data showed the propeller rpm decreased to zero over three seconds, followed by the airplane rotating 153° to the right. A weather report from a nearby airport showed gusty wind conditions and the terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) predicted thunderstorms in the vicinity around the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.