Air Tractor AT-802A accident near Broomfield, Colorado, August 14, 2002
On August 14, 2002 at about 4:11 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A, registered N91092, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jeffco Airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the airplane's left main landing gear tire separated from its wheel during takeoff roll for an undetermined reason. Contributing factors were the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control during takeoff roll and the subsequent impact with the Visual Approach Slope Indicator box.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2002 · about 4:11 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jeffco Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-802A
- Registration
- N91092 · registry record · serial 802A-0005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot taxied onto runway 29R, with approximately 700 gallons of fire retardant. He started the takeoff roll and at approximately 800 to 900 feet down the runway he heard a "distinct bang." The airplane immediately started an uncommanded turn to the left, and the pilot, using right rudder and right braking action, could not regain control of the aircraft. The airplane departed the runway and impacted the Visual Approach Slope Indictor box, which sheared the right main landing gear off. Subsequently, the right wing and aileron were bent up. Postaccident examination of the airplane by maintenance personnel revealed that the left main tire inner seal had separated from the wheel. No determination was made why this event occurred. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector said he found two black skid marks on the runway; the left one started 10 to 15 feet before the right one.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,167 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 4,989 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 28, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,665 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 19, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65B (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 4:11 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29R, 9,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from BJC
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN02TA092.