Air Tractor AT-802A accident near Turton, South Dakota, August 10, 2008
On August 10, 2008 at about 11:35 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A, registered N9078G, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Turton, South 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the starter generator which resulted in the subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident were the low altitude at which the airplane was operating, the tall grass, and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2008 · about 11:35 am local time
- Place
- Turton, South 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-802A
- Registration
- N9078G · registry record · serial 802A-0015
- 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 reported that while in cruise flight at approximately 500 feet above ground level, the radios began "popping and breaking squelch." He stated that he realized the generator system failed and approximately 30 seconds later, the engine began to lose power. He advanced the throttle and turned back toward the departure airport. The pilot stated the engine then began to vibrate and rapidly lose power. The pilot dumped the chemical load and identified a road on which to land. During the landing, the left wing caught in the tall grass alongside the road, spinning the airplane around and into a ditch. Inspection revealed the starter generator failed which was followed shortly thereafter by the loss of engine power. The pilot reported the starter generator was on fire after the accident.
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 (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine starting › Starter › Failure
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,078 hours in all; 856 in this make and model; 622 in the last 90 days; 185 in the last 30 days; 8,990 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wilbur-Ellis Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HON Huron SD at 6:15 am
- Destination: Turton SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 am from HON
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 CHI08CA246.