Air Tractor AT-400 accident near Tyrone, Pennsylvania, May 8, 1990
On May 8, 1990 at about 10:35 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-400, registered N2369N, was destroyed in an accident near Tyrone, Pennsylvania. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS DURING LOW LEVEL AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS. THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1990 · about 10:35 am local time
- Place
- Tyrone, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-400
- Registration
- N2369N · no longer on the register · serial 400-0416
- 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 HE MADE TWO UNEVENTFUL AERIAL APPLICATION PASSES IN A VALLEY AREA WITHOUT OBSERVING ANY OBSTRUCTIONS. ON THE THIRD PASS, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWERLINES THAT HAD BEEN STRUNG FROM RIDGETOP TO RIDGETOP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED INTO A WOODED HILLSIDE AND ERUPTED WITH FIRE AFTER IMPACT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD OVERFLOWN THE AREA LOOKING FOR OBSTACLES PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION. HE REPORTED THAT HE NEVER SAW THE POWERLINES BEFORE THE AIRPLANE HIT THEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1990; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aero Tech,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 7G4 Newry PA at 10:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N2369N 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.