Air Tractor AT-502 accident near Clovis, New Mexico, August 16, 1991
On August 16, 1991 at about 1:41 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-502, registered N4535K, was destroyed in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico. 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM RISING/UNEVEN TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES FOR THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 1:41 am local time
- Place
- Clovis, New Mexico · 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
- N4535K · no longer on the register · serial 502-0104
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS LAST SWATH RUN OF THE DAY AT DUSK. HE SAID HE DIDN'T SEE A RISE IN THE TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE FIELD AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO STRIKE A DIRT BERM. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. HE DUMPED HIS LOAD OF FERTILIZER/FUNGICIDES AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 6,700 hours in all; 560 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Q34 Portales NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 135° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.