Air Tractor 502B accident near Paragould, Arkansas, June 15, 2021
On June 15, 2021 at about 9:32 pm local time, a 1995 Air Tractor 502B, registered N6088K, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Paragould, Arkansas. It was a business 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
An inflight loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain during an aerial application flight for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2021 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- Paragould, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 502B, built 1995
- Registration
- N6088K · no longer on the register · serial 502B-0281
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that he observed the airplane about 1 mile away flying directly toward him. He stated that it appeared to be straight and level, about treetop height. Without warning, he observed a small puff of white smoke; the airplane immediately nosed down and impacted the ground. A post-crash fire ensued. The witness did not hear any abnormal noises with the airplane or engine, nor did he observe any wildlife in the area. He stated that “everything appeared normal until it wasn’t.” The airplane came to rest upright on the edge of a field. The nose of the airplane was embedded into the dirt at about a 45° angle and only one propeller blade was visible. The forward fuselage, cockpit, inboard right and left wings, and the aft fuselage exhibited extensive thermal damage. A postaccident airframe and engine examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operations. The engine displayed signatures of rotation, and control continuity was established throughout. Another pilot reported that, on the day of the accident, he was working with the accident pilot from the same grass strip. Throughout the day they dispersed about 28 loads of fertilizer; the accident pilot did not report any anomalies with the airplane during these flights.
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)
- Abrupt maneuver during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KJBR, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KJBR 152153Z AUTO 01007KT 10SM CLR 33/12 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP159 T03330122 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on May 3, 2023. 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 | On Scene Observations | PDF, 21 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Google Earth Map of Accident Area | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statement from Second Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 21-067 with 6 Embedded Photos) | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Record of Memorandum - Autopsy | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6088K 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.