Air Tractor INC AT-402 accident near Helm, Mississippi, June 30, 2024
On June 30, 2024 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1993 Air Tractor INC AT-402, registered N9185K, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Helm, Mississippi (Pvt 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2024 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Helm, Mississippi · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-402, built 1993 · all AT-402s on the register
- Registration
- N9185K · no longer on the register · serial 402-0908
- 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 stated that while on takeoff from a 2,200 ft partial concrete and grass private runway, the airplane failed to lift off due to density altitude. He initiated a controlled dump of the hopper load near the end of the runway to increase climb performance. The pilot stated that the airplane then stalled and impacted terrain off the departure end of the private strip, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The accident occurred after the pilot had conducted several agricultural spray applications with 350 gallon loads. He stated that temperature had reached 96°F and he should have carried a smaller load since conditions were not favorable. At the time of the accident density altitude had increased to about 2,530 ft.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,451 hours in all; 1,201 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,451 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 31, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2024; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,170 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6 -15 (turboprop); 15,360 hours total
- Operator: Love Aero LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Helm MS at 3:30 pm
- Destination: PVT Helm MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KGLH, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGLH 301535Z AUTO 27005KT 10SM CLR 34/27 A3014 RMK T03400270
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 2024. 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 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Meteorological Data Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 CEN24LA246.