Air Tractor AT-602 accident near Paragould, Arkansas, April 20, 2008
On April 20, 2008 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-602, registered N8517M, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Paragould, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from electrical wires while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident were binding of the elevator control, inadvertent stall and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2008 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Paragould, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-602
- Registration
- N8517M · no longer on the register · serial 602-1126
- 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 was spraying a field when he struck a set of electrical wires with the right wing and elevator. The airplane remained controllable except for a slight vibration, and the pilot elected to return to the operator's private airstrip located about 6-7 miles away to assess the damage. While on final approach, he heard a slight thump and realized the elevator control had locked up. The pilot was able to break the controls loose, but they felt stiff. The airplane veered off course and headed toward a center pivot that was located just east of the airstrip. The pilot added power to clear the pivot and the nose of the airplane pitched up sharply. The pilot was able to regain control and level off, but he needed to place both hands on the control column to offset the pressure. The pilot then headed toward an open field south of the private airstrip in an attempt to make an emergency landing. He called the operator on the radio and stated that something was coming apart on the airplane and that the outcome of the situation was not going to be good. Shortly after, with both hands and his knee on the control column, the pilot heard a popping sound and the airplane pitched up almost vertically. The airplane then stalled and descended toward the ground at a very steep angle The airplane collided with trees and came to rest near a small body of water. The airplane sustained structural damage to both wings, and the tail section had partially separated and was displaced about 90 degrees. The pilot stated that if it were not for the fact that he was wearing a helmet and his shoulder harness, his injuries would have been much more severe.
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 control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Not specified
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator control system › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hog Air Aviation, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: Private AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.