Air Tractor AT-502B accident near Holly Grove, Arkansas, February 18, 2003
On February 18, 2003 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B, registered N61802, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holly Grove, Arkansas (Holly Grove Municipal Airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2003 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Holly Grove, Arkansas · Holly Grove Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Registration
- N61802 · no longer on the register · serial 502b-0392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting to takeoff from a 4,500-foot runway, the airplane collided with a threshold light, and overran the departure end of the runway, colliding with a fence post supporting a 10-foot tall airport perimeter fence. The airplane came to rest in an inverted position entangled in the fence. The pilot reported that the engine was producing full takeoff power at the start of his takeoff roll; however, he suspected that the engine power had decayed during the latter part of the takeoff roll, which he was not able to detect in time to abort the takeoff
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,076 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 29, 2003; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hill Flying Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 2A6 Holly Grove AR at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from KSGT
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.