Air Tractor AT-502B accident near Bethany, Missouri, June 24, 2008
On June 24, 2008, a Air Tractor AT-502B, registered N5005G, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bethany, Missouri (Bethany Memorial Airport). 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
The pilot's decision to take off with a known deficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2008
- Place
- Bethany, Missouri · Bethany Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Registration
- N5005G · no longer on the register · serial 502B-0399
- 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 stated that another pilot believed the accident airplane's engine was not responding properly, so the commercial pilot decided to fly the airplane. After loading approximately 430 gallons of applicant, the pilot began his takeoff roll. During the takeoff roll, and with 1/4 runway remaining, the engine began "rolling back." The pilot raised the nose of the airplane at the departure end and cleared the airfield fence before settling back to the ground. The airplane continued to travel through a field towards a residence when the engine momentarily regained power. The airplane collided with a garage and a residence, rolled inverted and slid 50 yards. An examination of the engine and fuel control unit (FCU) bellow did not reveal any anomalies. The FCU was impact damaged and could not be tested. Testing failed to determine the reason for the loss of engine power.
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 (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,488 hours in all; 1,250 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 8,488 as pilot in command; 370 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 23, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,158 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 75K Bethany MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,255 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N5005G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.