N5044Y – Air Tractor AT402 – 2019-06-17 NTSB Accident Report

On June 17, 2019, a Air Tractor AT402 (N5044Y) was involved in an incident near Liberal, KS. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to see and avoid a windmill tower while maneuvering at low altitude.

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 collided with the ground.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA19CA352. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5044Y.