Air Tractor INC AT 802 accident near Trumann, Arkansas, July 25, 2017
On July 25, 2017 at about 11:15 am local time, a 2016 Air Tractor INC AT 802, registered N802DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Trumann, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper decision to continue flight in deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2017 · about 11:15 am local time
- Place
- Trumann, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT 802 A, built 2016 · all AT 802s on the register
- Registration
- N802DL · registry record · serial 802A-0679
- 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 pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he departed his private field for an agricultural application flight and flew northwest about 5 miles. He added that, as he approached the field that he had intended to spray, the visibility rapidly decreased. He began a 180° turn, but the visibility decreased to zero, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 11 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 5 knots, and the cloud celling was overcast at 300 ft.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,900 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 238 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 20, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 358 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 11, 2017
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65AG (turboprop); 358 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Private Field AR at 12:05 pm
- Destination: Private Field AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 am from KJBR, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 1, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.