Air Tractor INC AT-502B accident near Goodland, Kansas, August 10, 2025
On August 10, 2025 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 2008 Air Tractor INC AT-502B, registered N502WF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Goodland, Kansas (Renner Fld/Goodland Muni airport). It was flown 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 aircraft control during the landing and go-around with variable wind direction and speed.
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 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Goodland, Kansas · Renner Fld/Goodland Muni · 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-502B, built 2008 · all AT-502Bs on the register
- Registration
- N502WF · registry record · serial 502B-2646
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the landing flare the airplane suddenly pitched up and climbed about 25 feet. She reported that after she re-stabilized, the nose of the airplane suddenly yawed 15-20° to the right. She corrected the nose back to align with the runway centerline and the nose suddenly yawed 15-20° to the left. She attempted to go around by adding engine power, but the airplane yawed about 90° to the right, impacted the ground and slid across the grass resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that she believed a dust devil may have been the cause of the airplane upset. According to a Surface Analysis chart, a surface wind trough was observed near the accident site around the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
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 landing defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,927 hours in all; 296 in this make and model; 258 in the last 90 days; 178 in the last 30 days; 2,559 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,186 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 7,186 hours total
- Operator: Midwest Custom Ag Aviation, Inc
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12/3, 5,499 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KGLD
Weather report (METAR): KGLD 102153Z AUTO 13008KT 10SM FEW045 27/16 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP145 T02720161
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 CEN25LA314.