On October 11, 2007, an Air Tractor AT-602 (registration N8521L) operated by Hog Air Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Columbia, LA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost directional control after the upwind wing became entangled in tall vegetation during the landing flare. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A commercial pilot lost control of a turbine-powered aerial application airplane when the upwind wing became entangled in tall vegetation during landing, causing a cartwheel and structural damage to the aft fuselage.
Accident Details
A commercial pilot with 2,670 hours of flight experience was landing a turbine-powered aerial application airplane on a remote dirt airstrip to replenish the hopper. During the landing flare for a 3-point landing, the upwind (low) wing became entangled in the tall vegetation surrounding the airstrip. This entanglement caused a loss of directional control, leading the airplane to cartwheel before coming to rest in an upright position.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that the wing became entangled in the vegetation during the flare, resulting in the loss of control. The pilot exited the airplane unassisted after the accident. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated that a better choice of airstrip could have been made to avoid the mishap.
Damage
The airplane's aft fuselage sustained structural damage as a result of the cartwheel. No other damage items were specified in the report.
Probable cause
The pilot lost directional control after the upwind wing became entangled in tall vegetation during the landing flare.