Air Tractor AT-502A and Air Tractor AT-502B mid-air collision near Sulphur, Louisiana, February 12, 2026
On February 12, 2026 at about 12:19 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Air Tractor AT-502A (N254LA) and Air Tractor AT-502B (N598LA), were involved in a mid-air collision near Sulphur, Louisiana (Southland Field Airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2026 · about 12:19 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Sulphur, Louisiana · Southland Field Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft 1
- Air Tractor AT-502A, built 2016
- Registration
- N254LA · registry record · serial 502A-3054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
- Aircraft 2
- Air Tractor AT-502B, built 2006
- Registration
- N598LA · registry record · serial 502B-2598
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The factual record for the Air Tractor AT-502A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: UXL Sulphur LA
- Destination: UXL Sulphur LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Air Tractor AT-502B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: UXL Sulphur LA
- Destination: UXL Sulphur LA
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N254LA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N254LA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- N598LA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Southland Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Louisiana 1,274 since 1982 · 189 in the last ten years
- Louisiana 3,729 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N254LA 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA118.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.