Air Tractor INC AT-502 accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois, August 10, 2025
On August 10, 2025 at about 6:21 pm local time, a 1994 Air Tractor INC AT-502, registered N9193V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lawrenceville, Illinois. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2025 · about 6:21 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-502, built 1994 · all AT-502s on the register
- Registration
- N9193V · registry record · serial 502-0231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 10, 2025, about 1321 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural flight. The pilot stated he was taking off with a load of product and everything seemed normal until he went to rotate; at which time the airplane did not seem to be making full power. The pilot recalled looking down at the torque gauge and saw 1,400 not the usual 1,700 and he immediately pushed forward on the throttle. He attempted to jettison the load of product, but the rubber handgrip had migrated upward on the control handle preventing easy access to the switch that normally protruded from the handgrip. He described “forcing the airplane” into the air out of ground effect to gain enough altitude to clear the road and any passing traffic off the end of the runway. Unable to maintain altitude the airplane impacted the moisture laden bean field on the opposite side of the road and came to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and wings. The airplane was recovered back to the airport and will be examined further at a later date.
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 engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Klein Flying Services
The flight
- Departed from: Westport IL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KLWV, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLWV 101753Z AUTO 21006KT 10SM CLR 31/21 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP199 T03110211 10311 20222 55001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 CEN25LA313.