Air Tractor AT-802 N804AA

Summary

On 8 August 2023 at about 16:50 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802 registered N804AA, operated by Rice Flying LLC, was involved in an accident near Gilman City, Missouri, 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

8 August 2023 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Gilman City, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

40.0928, -93.8918

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802

Registration

N804AA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Rice Flying LLC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Trenton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23FA353

1 person died.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a steep turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting an aerial application flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was about ½ mile from the target field when witnesses saw it enter a steep turn, roll over, and spin to the ground. The airplane impacted terrain and a postimpact fire consumed part of the airplane. Examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine exhibited signs of rotation during impact. The propeller blades exhibited bending and twisting damage consistent with impact while rotating at moderate-to-high power and producing thrust at initial impact. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for recovery.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.