Air Tractor INC AT-502 accident near Ipswich, South Dakota, June 15, 2012
On June 15, 2012 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-502, registered N45379, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Ipswich, South Dakota (Tc Field 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
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2012 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ipswich, South Dakota · Tc Field Airport · 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-502 · all AT-502s on the register
- Registration
- N45379 · no longer on the register · serial 502-0111
- 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 airplane was departing from a 2,400-foot asphalt runway on an aerial application flight. The airplane was loaded to its maximum gross takeoff weight and configured with 10 degrees of flaps prior to the takeoff roll. The pilot reported that a tall stand of trees at the southeast side of the departure end of the runway blocked the wind and seemed to “create a void in the air,” which resulted in an extended takeoff roll. Electing not to abort the takeoff, the pilot added more flaps in an attempt to get the airplane airborne; however, he was unsuccessful. The airplane went off the end of the runway, hit a ditch, and skidded across the road into a field. The landing gear separated from the airframe and the airplane’s fuselage and control surfaces sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation during the attempted takeoff.
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
- Loss of lift during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,440 hours in all; 595 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2011
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-6-30 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tri-County AG Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: 2SD9 Ipswich SD
- Destination: 2SD9 Ipswich SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft by 28 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.