Air Tractor AT-502B accident near Parkin, Arkansas, May 17, 1998
On May 17, 1998 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B, registered N502JF, was destroyed in an accident near Parkin, 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 improper planning/decision, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from trees at the departure end of the airstrip. Related factors were: high density altitude and trees at the departure end of the airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1998 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Parkin, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Registration
- N502JF · registry record · serial 502-0253
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while taking off from a dirt strip, the airplane failed to clear a tree line about 200 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. According to local law enforcement officers, the airplane collided with an oak tree at the departure end of the airstrip as the pilot was attempting to takeoff to the south with a load of dry fertilizer. The pilot stated that the engine was performing normally. He estimated that he had 100 gallons of fuel on board. The position of the flaps could not be determined. During an investigation, the density altitude was estimated to be about 2,200 feet.
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: 3,200 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,257 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 222 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from MEM, 28 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.