Air Tractor INC AT-402 accident near Uvalde, Texas, August 13, 2011
On August 13, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-402, registered N10119, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Uvalde, Texas. 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to avoid power lines during a precautionary landing, which resulted an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the fluctuating engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's preoccupation with the malfunctioning global positioning system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Uvalde, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-402 · all AT-402s on the register
- Registration
- N10119 · no longer on the register · serial 402-0711
- 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 said he had just completed spraying a field during the aerial application flight when he noted that the airplane's global positioning system (GPS) unit had malfunctioned. As he attempted to troubleshoot the problem, the airplane’s engine power began to fluctuate. The pilot decided to make a precautionary landing. He looked inside the cockpit at the GPS, and, when he looked back outside, he noticed a set of power lines crossing the road. He was able to avoid them, then saw a second set of power lines. As he maneuvered the airplane to avoid them, he inadvertently stalled the airplane. The airplane’s right wing dropped and struck the power lines. The airplane then spun around and impacted terrain in an inverted attitude. A postaccident examination could not determine the reason for the drop in engine power. No other anomalies with the airplane were found.
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
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Malfunction
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 290 in the last 90 days; 102 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 9,170 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: L & W Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KUVA Uvalde TX at 2:40 pm
- Destination: KUVA Uvalde TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KUVA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.