Air Tractor INC AT-402B accident near Pierre, South Dakota, June 24, 2025
On June 24, 2025 at about 12:15 pm local time, a 2012 Air Tractor INC AT-402B, registered N107ML, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Pierre, South Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with the power lines while maneuvering that resulted in an in-flight collision with the power lines 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 24, 2025 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pierre, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-402B, built 2012 · all AT-402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N107ML · registry record · serial 402B-1250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an aerial application of a field, the airplane was in a 20 to 30o descent at 140 kts when its vertical stabilizer struck a power line. The vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the airplane, which resulted in the airplane’s uncontrolled descent and impact with the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, fuselage, and both wings. The pilot stated that he knew the location of the power line, but it was pilot error that resulted in the collision with the power line. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane before 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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,608 hours in all; 867 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 4,562 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,972 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 9,170 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 2,972 hours total
- Operator: Mike Ogan Farms
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 035° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 11.5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 28.35 inHg
- Observation at 6:40 am from PIR, 11 miles away
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 September 5, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation A�� Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 5 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 CEN25LA221.