Air Tractor INC AT-802 accident near Fort Hunter Liggett, California, October 21, 2010
On October 21, 2010 at about 11:47 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-802, registered N4247U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Fort Hunter Liggett, California (Schoonover Strip (Private) airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged glide path, which resulted in a runway undershoot and collision with terrain during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2010 · about 11:47 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Hunter Liggett, California · Schoonover Strip (Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-802 · all AT-802s on the register
- Registration
- N4247U · registry record · serial 802-4001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a short-field landing demonstration on a dirt airstrip. During the landing approach, the tailwheel impacted a berm of dirt located at the approach end of the airstrip. The nose pitched down and the propeller struck the runway, followed by the main landing gear. The airplane then bounced back into the air and the pilot added engine power. The airplane skidded to the left, resulting in the right main landing gear and tailwheel separating during the impact sequence. The pilot indicated that he should have landed farther down the airstrip. He reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies 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
- Landing area undershoot during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Glide › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 24,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 187 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 7, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-67F (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Tractor INC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Fort Hunter Liggett CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: PVT Fort Hunter Liggett CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 6,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PRB, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N4247U 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.