Air Tractor 502A accident near Stanfield, Arizona, April 12, 2006
On April 12, 2006 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor 502A, registered N1539X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stanfield, Arizona (Custom Farm 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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and 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
- April 12, 2006 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Stanfield, Arizona · Custom Farm Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 502A
- Registration
- N1539X · registry record · serial 502A0166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A single engine aerial application aircraft modified as a fire tanker veered off the gravel runway during its landing roll and sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot said he was traveling about 40 mph with the tail on the ground during the landing roll and was unable to maintain directional control due to adverse wind conditions. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway despite the pilot's application of full right rudder and right brake, and encountered uneven terrain and high vegetation. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 200 in the last 30 days; 22,000 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,029 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-45R (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Stanfield AZ
- Destination: Stanfield AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.