Air Tractor AT-502 accident near Schlater, Mississippi, March 5, 2002
On March 5, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502, registered N9185F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Schlater, Mississippi (Private Airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an unknown person at an unknown time exceeded the engine temperature limitations that resulted in the failure of compressor turbine and the subsequent loss of engine power during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Schlater, Mississippi · Private Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Registration
- N9185F · registry record · serial 502-0206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was on takeoff roll to conduct aerial application flight. Just before rotation he heard a loud pop and observed sparks in the vicinity of the engine compartment. There was insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway and collided with a ditch. Examination of the engine assembly revealed a total failure of several compressor turbine blades. Metallurgical examination of the compressor turbine blades revealed voiding and grain separation were observed toward the tip grain boundary along a reaction zone which is indicative of creep propagation. A comparison of the microstructure at the airfoil tip revealed a significant difference in the structure with the tip appearing to be solutioned. According to the original equipment maintenance manual blade tips that are solutioned is an indication of over temperature. if the inter-turbine temperature exceeds 875-degrees Celsius for 2 seconds the engine is required to be returned to an overhaul facility. It could not be determined when or who exceeded the over temperature limit.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,248 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 2002; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Schlater MS at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 360
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from GWO, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9185F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL02LA060.