Air Tractor AT-502B accident near Crowley, Louisiana, June 23, 2004
On June 23, 2004 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B, registered N60713, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crowley, Louisiana. 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 loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2004 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crowley, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Registration
- N60713 · registry record · serial 502-0277
- 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 20,875-hour pilot reported that after takeoff, at an altitude of approximately 75 feet above ground level, the airplane began to "settle," and he elected to make a forced landing in a flooded rice field. During landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. No fuel was observed in either of the wing fuel tanks. No visible evidence of fuel residue was found in the vicinity of the wreckage.
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: 20,875 hours in all; 6,200 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 20,775 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 25, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,032.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 2004; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Crowley LA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Crowley LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from LFT, 25 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.
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.