Air Tractor AT-602 Substantially Damaged After Engine Failure Near Breaux Bridge, La.

Engine Failure Forces Emergency Landing in Louisiana

An Air Tractor AT-602, registration N50050, was substantially damaged June 3 after suffering a total loss of engine power during an agricultural application flight near Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board, the accident occurred at approximately 1:20 p.m. CDT. The pilot was the sole occupant and was not injured.

The pilot reported the engine started normally and ran without issue for the initial portion of the five-minute flight. The first sign of trouble was a brief surge in engine power accompanied by a rise in engine temperature. After the pilot retarded the power lever, a third surge occurred and flames were observed coming from the left exhaust stack — immediately before the engine lost all power. The pilot executed a forced landing in a nearby field, where the aircraft came to rest upright. The NTSB noted the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage.

Investigation Ongoing

The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 137, which governs agricultural aircraft operations. Investigators plan to examine the airframe and engine once the aircraft is recovered from the accident site. Local television station KLFY reported a non-injury crash in the Breaux Bridge area around the same period, though officials have not confirmed whether that report refers to the same NTSB-documented event.