Air Tractor AT-503A accident near Pontiac, Illinois, May 5, 2003
On May 5, 2003 at about 7:14 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-503A, registered N503D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pontiac, Illinois (Pontiac Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2003 · about 7:14 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Illinois · Pontiac Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-503A
- Registration
- N503D · no longer on the register · serial 503A-0067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering during a training flight. The purpose of the flight was for one certified flight instructor (CFI) to give another CFI a checkout in a turboprop airplane. One witness described the airplane flying swath runs prior to making a wing over type maneuver and entering a spin. Several other witnesses describe the airplane being in a slight nose down spin prior to it impacting the ground. Inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any pre-existing failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of control.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,852 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 9,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PNT Pontiac IL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: PNT
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.52 inHg
- Observation at 7:05 pm from PNT, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.