Air Tractor INC AT-602 and Air Tractor INC AT-602 mid-air collision near Dumas, Arkansas, March 15, 2021
On March 15, 2021 at about 2:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Air Tractor INC AT-602 (N119KP) and Air Tractor INC AT-602 (N312FB), were involved in a mid-air collision near Dumas, Arkansas (Pvt airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane.
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2021 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Dumas, Arkansas · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Air Tractor INC AT-602 NO SERIES, built 2019 · all AT-602s on the register
- Registration
- N119KP · registry record · serial 602-1305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
- Aircraft 2
- Air Tractor INC AT-602, built 2020 · all AT-602s on the register
- Registration
- N312FB · registry record · serial 602-1312
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative for the Air Tractor INC AT-602 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two agricultural application airplanes were operating at low altitude and in proximity to the other. One pilot intended to land at an airstrip, and the other pilot circled a field to scout for obstacles. Both pilots, while focused on their specific tasks, failed to visually identify the other airplane; as a result, the airplanes collided in flight. Both airplanes landed without further incident. One airplane sustained substantial damage and the other sustained minor damage.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Air Tractor INC AT-602 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two agricultural application airplanes were operating at low altitude and in proximity to the other. One pilot intended to land at an airstrip, and the other pilot circled a field to scout for obstacles. Both pilots, while focused on their specific tasks, failed to visually identify the other airplane; as a result, the airplanes collided in flight. Both airplanes landed without further incident. One airplane sustained substantial damage and the other sustained minor damage.
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 for the Air Tractor INC AT-602 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 21,180 hours in all; 20,135 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 21,000 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,111.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 11, 2021; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-65AG (turboprop); 1,112 hours total
- Operator: K & P Flying Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Watson AR at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:13 am from LLQ, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Air Tractor INC AT-602 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,500 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,500 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 10, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 61 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 2020; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-65AG (turboprop); 61 hours total
- Operator: Farm Brothers A Flyers, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Dumas AR
- Flight plan: none
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN21LA161.