Air Tractor AT-402 accident near Beedeville, Arkansas, May 24, 2004
On May 24, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-402, registered N45553, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beedeville, Arkansas. 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing roll-out. Contributing factors were the crosswind and condition of the the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beedeville, Arkansas · 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-402
- Registration
- N45553 · registry record · serial 402-0811
- 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 14,000-hour pilot stated that he landed his tail wheel equipped airplane to the east on a 2,500-foot rough grass airstrip with a prevailing crosswind from the south. During the landing roll-out, he reversed the propeller into beta to accelerate the braking action. However, directional control was "minimized due to the crosswind", propeller reversal, and the condition of the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane drifted to the left, and the left wing tip collided with a tree causing the airplane to ground loop and impact trees with the right wing and propeller. He reported no mechanical deficiencies.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 2,850 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,042 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 28 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Newport AR
- Destination: NONE Beedeville AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; scat at 100 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from BVX
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.