Air Tractor AT 502 accident near De Land, Illinois, July 10, 2018
On July 10, 2018 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 1990 Air Tractor AT 502, registered N4509S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near De Land, Illinois (Flying Illini airport). 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in the airplane inadvertently becoming airborne and a subsequent hard landing and loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2018 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- De Land, Illinois · Flying Illini · 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 Undesignat, built 1990
- Registration
- N4509S · registry record · serial 502-0088
- 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 reported that, after an agricultural application flight, during the landing roll in a rain shower and with a crosswind, the tailwheel-equipped airplane hit a "bump" and became airborne. He added that the airplane was slow, drifted left, and touched down hard. Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway and ground looped. The pilot reported that he should have landed farther down the runway to avoid the bumps that caused the airplane to become airborne. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system located about 19 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 12 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 18.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,135 hours in all; 454 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 2,091 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 9,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A (turboprop); 9,424 hours total
- Operator: Olsem Aerial Application Services Llc
The flight
- Departed from: IL80 De Land IL at 8:30 pm
- Destination: IL80 De Land IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,430 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from KDEC, 19 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 October 29, 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Picture | 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.