Air Tractor INC AT-502B accident near Charleston, Missouri, June 23, 2025
On June 23, 2025, a 2014 Air Tractor INC AT-502B, registered N114WL, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Charleston, Missouri (Mississippi County airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of control during the spray pass, which resulted in impact with vegetation and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2025
- Place
- Charleston, Missouri · Mississippi County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-502B, built 2014 · all AT-502Bs on the register
- Registration
- N114WL · registry record · serial 502B-2960
- 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 reported that during a spray pass to a field, the airplane started to “drop”. The pilot was not able to recover from the descent with the addition of power and impacted vegetation and terrain. During the impact sequence, the engine separated from the fuselage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot and operator reported no mechanical issues with the airframe or engine.
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 in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,524 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 1,481 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 23, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 9,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 6,738 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Thompson Flying Service LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18/3, 3,196 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from KCIR, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCIR 230035Z AUTO 19004KT 10SM CLR 32/24 A3011 RMK AO2 T03210236
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 CEN25LA219.