Air Tractor AT-502 accident near Ganado, Texas, April 19, 1989
On April 19, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502, registered N7320C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ganado, Texas. 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
LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ganado, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Registration
- N7320C · registry record · serial 502-0015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PILOT WAS LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR & STRUT SEPARATED, AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ON THE LEFT WING. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE RIGHT BRAKE LOCKED, WHICH CAUSE THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT BRAKE DID NOT REVEAL ANY REASON FOR THE BRAKE TO LOCK. THE WHEEL WAS FREE TO ROTATE & THE MASTER CYLINDER APPEARED TO BE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER.
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
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 804 in the last 90 days; 250 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 846 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1988; 152 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from VCT, 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.