N419TW

Substantial
None

Air Tractor AT 602S/N: 602-1251

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
NTSB Number
CEN20CA158
Location
El Campo, TX
Event ID
20200421X81851
Coordinates
29.318611, -96.402496
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's misjudgment of a ground spray rig’s position and his incorrect belief that a runway incursion might occur, which resulted in the pilot attempting and then aborting a go-around, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a fence.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
AIR TRACTOR
Serial Number
602-1251
Engine Type
Turbo-prop
Year Built
2014
Model / ICAO
AT 602AT6T
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
AT-602

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
MIDWEST AGRI DRONE LLC
Address
11898 COUNTY ROAD 363
City
SAINT JOSEPH
State / Zip Code
MO 64505-8312
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot was landing at the remote agricultural airstrip for the first time. While on the final approach to land to the south, just before touchdown, the pilot observed a ground spray rig maneuver toward the turf runway. The airplane touched down uneventfully to the dry grass and during the landing roll, the pilot reported that the ground spray rig, "pulled out on me, not thinking it could be on the road that went around the end of the airstrip." The pilot incorrectly judged, from his elevated position sitting in the tailwheel airplane, that the ground spray rig was crossing the runway, and thought a runway incursion was occurring.

The pilot applied full power and with the turbine engine acceleration lag condition, the pilot then realized that he was, "not going to have enough time" to perform a go-around. The pilot reduced the power and attempted to stop the airplane before he ran out of available runway. The airplane impacted a metal perimeter fence and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the right aileron, and the engine mount. The operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN20CA158