Air Tractor INC AT 602 accident near Gueydan, Louisiana, May 27, 2014
On May 27, 2014 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2011 Air Tractor INC AT 602, registered N602RR, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Gueydan, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2014 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gueydan, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT 602 NO SERIES, built 2011 · all AT 602s on the register
- Registration
- N602RR · registry record · serial 602-1197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported observing the airplane make a downwind turn that would re-align it with the field the pilot was spraying. The airplane then entered a descent and struck 30-ft-high power lines before impacting the ground about 30 ft forward of the power lines in a left-wing-low, steep nose-down attitude, which was consistent with the airplane stalling before it impacted the power lines. The pilot was known to make steep, high-G turns when spraying fields. The day before the accident, the pilot flew the accident airplane, and it struck a bird, which damaged the right wing's leading edge. A mechanic inspected the wing and deemed the damage to be minor; the pilot agreed and subsequently flew the damaged airplane for about 12 hours. A company pilot reported that he heard the pilot comment over the radio during an application pass later that same day that the wing was starting to open up where the bird had impacted it. Even with this knowledge, the pilot continued to fly the airplane. The company pilot also stated that he had looked at the airplane on the morning of the accident and noted that several rivets were missing around the damaged area and that he would not have flown the airplane in that condition; however, he did not share his concerns with the pilot or the operator. Due to impact and postimpact fire damage, it could not be determined if the damaged wing contributed to the accident; however, the spar was undamaged. The pilot's wife stated that he was not taking any medications and that he was in good health but that he did use marijuana recreationally on the weekends only. The accident occurred on a Tuesday. Although postaccident toxicology tests detected a low level of marijuana in the pilot's blood and lung, it is unlikely that it impaired his performance on the day of the accident.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 14,300 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 30, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,435 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 9, 2014
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-65AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Gueydan LA
- Destination: Gueydan LA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from IYA, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on February 4, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Record of Conversations | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Party Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Recorder Specialist Email Report About the Satlock Unit | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 1 - Bird Strike Damage Prior to Accident (Photo Courtesy of Gabrielle Detraz) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.