Air Tractor INC AT-402A accident near Moffett, Oklahoma, October 1, 2024
On October 1, 2024 at about 4:20 pm local time, a 1991 Air Tractor INC AT-402A, registered N45472, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Moffett, Oklahoma (Private Strip 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 tail wheel assembly’s fractured bolt which resulted in the pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2024 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Moffett, Oklahoma · Private Strip · 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-402A, built 1991 · all AT-402As on the register
- Registration
- N45472 · registry record · serial 402A-0794
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll on a dirt strip, the pilot felt the airplane’s tail section “bottom out”. The pilot lost rudder control, and the airplane veered off the strip into vegetation and ground looped. During the ground loop, the left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. A postaccident examination of the airplane found that one of the bolts which secured the tail wheel spring to the tail wheel housing assembly had fractured. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pwc PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hookin A Ag Inc
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 270
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KFSM, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFSM 012053Z 01008KT 10SM CLR 31/13 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP185 T03060133 56016
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN25LA002.