Air Tractor AT502 accident near Iowa, Louisiana, July 26, 2018
On July 26, 2018 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2016 Air Tractor AT502, registered N254LA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Iowa, Louisiana (O'Brien Flying Service 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2018 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Iowa, Louisiana · O'Brien Flying Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT502 A, built 2016
- Registration
- N254LA · registry record · serial 502A-3054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped, restricted-category airplane, he had performed an agricultural flight and was landing to take on another load. He made a three-point landing with full flaps and closed the throttle. He stated that, during the landing roll, the airplane "turned violently to the right and got very light on the gear." The airplane’s nose had turned 45° right of the runway centerline, so he applied left brake and left rudder and then he added power. As the power increased, the airplane rolled left. The left wing struck the ground, and the pilot pulled the throttle to idle and then he applied reverse thrust and full brakes. However, the airplane exited the runway and collided with a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and aileron. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was light and variable, but dust devils were present. Additionally, he reported that the accident could have been prevented by landing at a higher airspeed to keep airflow over the rudder and by minimizing the engine thrust. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- 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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,639 hours in all; 965 in this make and model; 310 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 21,502 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 20, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 965 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 10,480 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-140AG (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Obrien'S Flying Service Inc
The flight
- Departed from: LA71 Iowa LA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: LA71 Iowa LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from KCWF, 7 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 22, 2019. 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 | Photo | 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.
Other NTSB records under N254LA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.