ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 345734
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| Date: | Tuesday 19 September 2023 |
| Time: | 12:32 |
| Type: |  Air Tractor AT-502B |
| Owner/operator: | Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Inc |
| Registration: | N502NB |
| MSN: | 502B-2814 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2012 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4396 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near New Rockford, ND -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Carrington Municipal Airport, ND (46D) |
| Carrington Municipal Airport, ND (46D) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On September 19, 2023, about 1232 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B airplane, N502NB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near New Rockford, North Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.
Four witnesses reported the airplane flew underneath powerlines while spraying a field of sunflowers. The witnesses observed the top of the vertical stabilizer sheared off by the powerlines, and the airplane continued to fly straight ahead westbound. About ¼ mile west of the powerlines, the airplane made a left turning dive and subsequently impacted a cornfield.
The airplane came to rest inverted on a southerly heading about 10 ft from the initial impact point. Both wing leading edges were crushed aft. All airplane components were located except for a majority of the wire deflector cable and a 10 inch section of the top of the vertical stabilizer, which were not recovered.
Wire impact marks were observed about 18 inches below the top of the vertical stabilizer. The rudder separated from the vertical stabilizer and was found underneath the left wing.
The inflatable restraints (airbags) were deployed. No preimpact anomalies were observed with the flight control system. The three propeller blades exhibited rotational signatures.
The SATLOC and handheld Garmin GPS units were recovered for data download.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/regional-news/68269-faa-investigating-fatal-plane-crash-in-eddy-county
https://www.valleynewslive.com/2023/09/19/pilot-dies-plane-crash-near-new-rockford-nd/
https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/north-dakota/jamestown-pilot-dies-after-plane-crashes-into-cornfield-outside-new-rockford
https://knoxradio.com/2023/09/19/investigators-probe-plane-crash-near-new-rockford/
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N502NB
Location
Media:
NTSB investigating today's crash of an Air Tractor 502B airplane near New Rockford, North Dakota.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) September 19, 2023
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Sep-2023 22:01 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 20-Sep-2023 05:02 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 29-Sep-2023 10:50 | Captain Adam | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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