Air Tractor AT-502 accident near Portland, North Dakota, June 29, 2000
On June 29, 2000 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502, registered N91891, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, North Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot intentionally operated the airplane with known damage on the left wing which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2000 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Registration
- N91891 · no longer on the register · serial 502-0224
- 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 made a forced landing on a road following a loss of engine power. The leading edge of the left wing and left aileron were damaged when it contacted a road sign during the landing. The pilot was able to get the engine started. He decided to takeoff on the road and fly back to his private airstrip. The pilot reported that once airborne, the airplane began to roll to the left. He reported that he added right aileron control, but the airplane continued to roll until it contacted the terrain.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,046 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 6,937 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,656 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 2000; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE ND
- Destination: PVT Olivia MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 10:53 pm from GFK, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.