Air Tractor 502B accident near Minter City, Mississippi, September 13, 1995
On September 13, 1995 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor 502B, registered N60237, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minter City, Mississippi (Private Airstrip 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot. Factors relating to the accident were: the excessive gross weight of the airplane and the high outside air temperature, which would have reduced the performance of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1995 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Minter City, Mississippi · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 502B
- Registration
- N60237 · no longer on the register · serial 502B-0322
- 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 reported that shortly after takeoff, after climbing about twenty feet, the airplane began to settle to the ground. He could not establish a positive rate of climb or arrest the sink rate. The airplane collided with the ground about 1/4 mile off the departure end of the runway. Examination of the aircraft disclosed that it was approximately 725 pounds over the approved gross weight. According to the pilot, he did not calculate the gross weight before attempting the takeoff. Also, he did not report any mechanical difficulty with the aircraft. The outside air temperature was 94 degrees.
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: 12,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1995; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from GWO, 16 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 N60237 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.