Air Tractor AT502 and Air Tractor AT502 mid-air collision near Whiteface, Texas, June 14, 2024
On June 14, 2024 at about 1:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Air Tractor AT502 (N2032K) and Air Tractor AT502 (N8525V), were involved in a mid-air collision near Whiteface, Texas. 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Both pilot’s failure to see and avoid the other airplane during simultaneous aerial application operations over the same area. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s poor decision to assign the pilots to conduct separate aerial application operations in the same area.
Both pilot’s failure to see and avoid the other airplane during simultaneous aerial application operations over the same area. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s poor decision to assign the pilots to conduct separate aerial application operations in the same area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2024 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Whiteface, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Air Tractor AT502 B, built 2011
- Registration
- N2032K · registry record · serial 502B-2749
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
- Aircraft 2
- Air Tractor AT502 B, built 2004
- Registration
- N8525V · registry record · serial 502B-2568
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative for the Air Tractor AT502 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two pilots were conducting aerial application operations in the same field when their airplanes collided in midair during day visual meteorological conditions. The pilots were separately tasked by their operator to spray different areas within the field, with N2032K spraying the field corners and N8525V spraying the center circle. After N2032K had begun spraying, the pilot of N8525V arrived at the operation area and both pilots coordinated a deconfliction plan through a phone call via Bluetooth connection. Their plan was for N2032K to operate as the high airplane and N8525V to operate as the low airplane. At the time of the accident, N2032K was traveling eastbound on a spray pass while N8525V was traveling southbound. The pilot of N2032K reported that he first saw N8525V as it began climbing into his flightpath. The pilot of N2032K banked right, but insufficient time and distance remained to avoid the collision. The near-perpendicular flight paths produced a high closure rate and limited the time available for either pilot to recognize and resolve the conflict. Damage and transfer marks on N2032K’s right wing, and on N8525V’s right-wing and right-aileron components, were consistent with contact involving the airplanes’ right wings as their flight paths converged. There was no evidence of preimpact malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of either airplane. The airplanes’ average altitudes during their spray passes only differed by about 70 ft, and the pilots’ inflight-coordinated, informal deconfliction plan did not provide adequate separation where the spray patterns intersected. The pilot of N8525V had cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease with past heart attack, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The FAA had renewed his Authorization for Special Issuance with those conditions 7 weeks before the accident. These conditions were associated with an increased risk of an impairing or incapacitating cardiovascular event, such as arrythmia, heart attack, or stroke. The pilot’s autopsy did not identify evidence that such an event occurred; however, an event occurring shortly before death may not produce reliable autopsy evidence. Medication-treated diabetes was among the conditions waivered by the special issuance medical certificate for the pilot of N8525V. His reported diabetes medications were detected on postmortem toxicology, except for semaglutide, which may not be detected by the methodology. His postmortem urine glucose result indicated that he was unlikely to have been experiencing a major metabolic disturbance from high blood sugar at the time of the accident. This result neither supports nor excludes the possibility of low blood sugar, which could have adversely affected concentration and performance; however, his reported and detected diabetes medications have a relatively low risk of causing significant low blood sugar. Other diabetes effects such as fatigue or blurry vision could not be excluded based on the results. The FAA’s renewal of the special issuance authorization indicated that his condition was likely adequately controlled in the past without significant medication side effects or long-term ocular or neurological complications. Thus, there is no clear evidence that the pilot of N8525V was impaired by effects of medical conditions or substances, including diabetes and its treatment, at the time 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 NTSB's narrative for the Air Tractor AT502 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two pilots were conducting aerial application operations in the same field when their airplanes collided in midair during day visual meteorological conditions. The pilots were separately tasked by their operator to spray different areas within the field, with N2032K spraying the field corners and N8525V spraying the center circle. After N2032K had begun spraying, the pilot of N8525V arrived at the operation area and both pilots coordinated a deconfliction plan through a phone call via Bluetooth connection. Their plan was for N2032K to operate as the high airplane and N8525V to operate as the low airplane. At the time of the accident, N2032K was traveling eastbound on a spray pass while N8525V was traveling southbound. The pilot of N2032K reported that he first saw N8525V as it began climbing into his flightpath. The pilot of N2032K banked right, but insufficient time and distance remained to avoid the collision. The near-perpendicular flight paths produced a high closure rate and limited the time available for either pilot to recognize and resolve the conflict. Damage and transfer marks on N2032K’s right wing, and on N8525V’s right-wing and right-aileron components, were consistent with contact involving the airplanes’ right wings as their flight paths converged. There was no evidence of preimpact malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of either airplane. The airplanes’ average altitudes during their spray passes only differed by about 70 ft, and the pilots’ inflight-coordinated, informal deconfliction plan did not provide adequate separation where the spray patterns intersected. The pilot of N8525V had cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease with past heart attack, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The FAA had renewed his Authorization for Special Issuance with those conditions 7 weeks before the accident. These conditions were associated with an increased risk of an impairing or incapacitating cardiovascular event, such as arrythmia, heart attack, or stroke. The pilot’s autopsy did not identify evidence that such an event occurred; however, an event occurring shortly before death may not produce reliable autopsy evidence. Medication-treated diabetes was among the conditions waivered by the special issuance medical certificate for the pilot of N8525V. His reported diabetes medications were detected on postmortem toxicology, except for semaglutide, which may not be detected by the methodology. His postmortem urine glucose result indicated that he was unlikely to have been experiencing a major metabolic disturbance from high blood sugar at the time of the accident. This result neither supports nor excludes the possibility of low blood sugar, which could have adversely affected concentration and performance; however, his reported and detected diabetes medications have a relatively low risk of causing significant low blood sugar. Other diabetes effects such as fatigue or blurry vision could not be excluded based on the results. The FAA’s renewal of the special issuance authorization indicated that his condition was likely adequately controlled in the past without significant medication side effects or long-term ocular or neurological complications. Thus, there is no clear evidence that the pilot of N8525V was impaired by effects of medical conditions or substances, including diabetes and its treatment, at the time 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 for the Air Tractor AT502 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
- Organizational issues › Management › Culture › Safety › Operator
- Organizational issues › Management › Scheduling › Task scheduling/workload › Operator
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,607 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 26, 2024
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 6,607 hours total
- Operator: King AG Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: XA05 Sudan TX
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KLBB, 42 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLBB 141353Z 17008KT 10SM FEW130 FEW160 SCT220 25/19 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP127 CB DSNT NW T02500194
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Air Tractor AT502 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
- Organizational issues › Management › Scheduling › Task scheduling/workload › Operator
- Organizational issues › Management › Culture › Safety › Operator
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 30, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,855 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2024
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 7,855 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: King AG Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: XA05 Sudan TX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on September 30, 2026. 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 N8525V | PDF, 10 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 N2032K | PDF, 10 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Interview, Pilot N2032K | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Field Notes | PDF, 9 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Inflatable Harness Exam | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Electronic Devices - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 10 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Electronic Devices - Specialist's Factual Report - Attachment 1 | data file · our copy | Download |
| 8 | Electronic Devices - Specialist's Factual Report - Attachment 2 | data file · our copy | Download |
| 9 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 10 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 11 | Paass Fly Safe Campaign - Avoiding Mid-air Collisions | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
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.