Air Tractor INC AT-502 accident near Carthage, Illinois, July 7, 2014
On July 7, 2014 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1993 Air Tractor INC AT-502, registered N9185G, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Carthage, Illinois (Pvt airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s inability to climb out of ground effect, which resulted from the pilot using a lower power setting than needed for takeoff due to the mechanic’s installation of the wrong engine torque gauge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2014 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carthage, Illinois · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-502, built 1993 · all AT-502s on the register
- Registration
- N9185G · registry record · serial 502-0213
- 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 commercial pilot was taking off for an agricultural application flight. The pilot stated that, during the takeoff, the engine did not lose power but that the airplane was unable to gain sufficient speed to climb. After realizing the airplane was not accelerating or climbing as expected, the pilot dumped the chemical load in an attempt to gain altitude. The airplane became airborne and cleared a pond at the end of the airstrip, but it then contacted a dirt bank and nosed over on the far side of the pond. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the engine torque gauge, which a mechanic had installed in the airplane about 3.5 months before the accident, was for a lower powered engine. The installation of the wrong gauge resulted in the redline on the gauge being lower than it should have been and likely resulted in the pilot not having an accurate torque indication and using a lower power setting than needed for the 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 defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › (general) › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,294 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 140 in the last 30 days; 2,254 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 15, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2014
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Air Assault LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Carthage IL
- Destination: PVT Carthage IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KBRL, 21 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N9185G 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.