Air Tractor AT802 accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota, July 27, 2023
On July 27, 2023 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 2002 Air Tractor AT802, registered N8503W, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Aberdeen, South Dakota (Aberdeen Rgnl 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 maintain directional control while taxiing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2023 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aberdeen, South Dakota · Aberdeen Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT802 A, built 2002
- Registration
- N8503W · registry record · serial 802A-0134
- 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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was taxiing from the loading ramp to runway 35 for his third aerial application flight of the day. As the airplane taxied, it did not respond to the pilot’s inputs and departed the taxiway before it ground looped. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing impacted the surface which resulted in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taxiing the airplane to the south with wind from 050° at 12 kts, resulting in about a 6 kt tailwind component and a 10 kt left crosswind component. It is likely that the pilot lost directional control of the airplane when taxiing with a quartering tailwind.
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 control on ground during taxi (to runway) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi (to runway)
- Other weather encounter during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 250 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,144.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney Canada PT6A-65AG (turboprop); 8,144 hours total
- Operator: Pioneer Agviation 2 LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KABR, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KABR 271853Z AUTO 05012KT 10SM CLR 30/20 A2982 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S SLP088 T03000200=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2025. 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 | Maintenance Records (Excerpt) | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Landing Gear Hardware Examination Emails | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Brake System Examination Summary | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Certification of Party Representive | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Notams Abr 07272023 | 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 N8503W 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.