Air Tractor AT-602 accident near Humnoke, Arkansas, May 19, 2012
On May 19, 2012 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-602, registered N85239, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Humnoke, Arkansas (Brown Farm Dirt Strip 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 attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in a landing undershoot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2012 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Humnoke, Arkansas · Brown Farm Dirt Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-602
- Registration
- N85239 · registry record · serial 1130
- 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 was returning from the completion of his 28th aerial application flight on the day of the accident. He stated that he misjudged the touchdown point for the landing and landed short of the dirt runway, striking a levee. He said that he had been working a full schedule all week and there was no doubt that he was “somewhat” tired, but he believed that a wind change “had more to do with the accident than any other factor.”
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 204 in the last 90 days; 115 in the last 30 days; 22,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 17, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,943 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: County Line Flying Service Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Humnoke AR at 8:53 pm
- Destination: PVT Humnoke AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 165° at 6 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.