Air Tractor AT-402 accident near Tucker, Arkansas, June 7, 2004
On June 7, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-402, registered N182PB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucker, Arkansas (Grider Field Airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control while manuevering during aerial application which resulted in impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucker, Arkansas · Grider Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-402
- Registration
- N182PB · registry record · serial 402-0806
- 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 2,359-hour pilot was maneuvering during an aerial application when the airplane impacted terrain. The pilot was reportedly flying his 24th aerial application flight of the day and had completed spraying a field. The pilot started "trimming" the field on a north to south pattern. Witnesses located adjacent to the accident site reported observing the airplane "go straight up" before "barrel rolling to the ground." Another witness located near the accident site, observed the airplane as it was flying over a tree line, and stated that the airplane was "gaining altitude when it [the airplane] suddenly nose dived straight down to the ground in a slow spin." Ground scars were consistent with the airplane impacting the ground a flat, slightly nose down attitude.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,359 hours in all; 1,806 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,232.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 2003; 287.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Tucker AR at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PBF, 18 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW04LA153.