Air Tractor AT-502B accident near Blythe, California, August 29, 2007
On August 29, 2007 at about 3:00 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B, registered N6003G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blythe, California (Cyr Ariport 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 adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2007 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Blythe, California · Cyr Ariport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Registration
- N6003G · registry record · serial 502B-0249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll on the 2,400 foot long asphalt airstrip, the 7,650-hour pilot noticed the airplane was very sluggish about 60% of the way down the runway, and not being able to stop he elected to add full power. The aircraft subsequently became airborne in ground effect; however, it settled and impacted terrain on the other side of a crowned road past the end of the runway. After impacting the ground the airplane veered to the right 180 degrees before coming to rest upright. The pilot said the accident could have been prevented if he had reduced his load and had stopped flying when it became too hot. The density altitude was calculated at 3,672 feet based on an outside air temperature of 41 degrees Celsius, a dew point of 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.65 inches of Mercury.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,650 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 117 in the last 30 days; 7,093 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,945.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2007; 937 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cyr Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 56CL Blythe CA at 3:00 am
- Destination: 56CL Blythe CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from BLH, 6 miles away
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 N6003G 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.