History of Flight
On August 20, 2014, at approximately 1455 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802A, registration N802BB, operated by Bonne Idee Aero Service Inc., was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and a bean field in Parsons, Tennessee. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 137 as a local aerial application operation, having departed from Beech River Regional Airport (PVE) in Lexington-Parsons, Tennessee, around 1440. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
A witness reported on social media that the airplane was flying "fast and low" over their house near the field, then pulled up to avoid a treeline, and seconds later impacted the ground.
Pilot Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. A first-class medical certificate was issued on April 11, 2013, at which time the pilot reported 3,600 total flight hours, with 250 hours in the preceding six months. No pilot logbooks were located.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was issued a restricted airworthiness certificate for agriculture and pest control in 1999 and was registered to Bonne Idee Aero Service, Inc., on August 11, 2007. It was equipped with a Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6-A engine. The most recent annual inspection, performed on May 15, 2014, recorded 8,797.0 total hours in service.
Meteorological Information
The 1453 recorded weather observation at McKeller-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) in Jackson, Tennessee, about 38 miles southwest of the accident site, included wind from 220 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 4,200 feet above ground level, temperature 34°C, dew point 23°C, and barometric altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The initial tree impact occurred on flat terrain at approximately 35°42'28"N, 088°08'49"W, at an elevation of about 455 feet. The impacted trees were about 50 feet tall. The wreckage path, beginning with a separated propeller blade, was oriented about 107 degrees magnetic. Approximately 65 feet beyond the initial tree impact, a 1-foot-deep, 5-foot-long crater contained three propeller blades separated from the hub. Yellow paint chips were found between the tree strike and initial ground impact. The main wreckage came to rest inverted on a heading of 208 degrees, with a debris path extending about 340 feet beyond the initial ground impact. An odor of Jet A fuel was noted, and soy bean plants nearby showed blight consistent with fuel spillage.
The airplane was fragmented into multiple sections; all flight control surfaces were present. Control continuity was confirmed via cables to the rudder and through fractured push rods and bellcranks to the ailerons and elevators.
The forward fuselage was bent and impact-damaged. The canopy was crushed, with pieces scattered along the debris path. Sections of the fuselage top, cockpit instruments, and panel were also found. The fuselage top about 8 feet behind the canopy exhibited crush damage. The seat remained attached at all points. Both main landing gear were located about 160 feet beyond the main wreckage, separated by about 50 feet.
The right horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, and left horizontal stabilizer were partially separated from the empennage and crush-damaged.
Both wings remained attached to the fuselage. The entire leading edge exhibited aft crush damage. Flaps and ailerons remained attached; the left aileron trim tab was partially separated but attached at the outboard point. The left wingtip was separated and found in the debris path.
Examination of the engine revealed soil in the gas generator case and combustion section. Axial turbine blade tips showed smearing, and the turbine shroud had circumferential rubbing. The compressor disc outer rim and blade platforms also showed rubbing. The accessory section separated and was found about 30 feet beyond initial ground impact.
The fuel control unit was separated in the debris path and drained fluid resembling Jet A fuel. The fuel pump, also in the debris path, contained similar fluid. Several fuel line sections were found.
Five propeller blades impact-separated from the hub were located along the debris path, exhibiting torsional bending and chordwise scratches. Several pieces of impacted trees showed an approximate 45-degree cut with black paint transfer.
Several instruments were separated from the panel. The Hobbs meter indicated 9047.0 hours. The flap actuator under the cockpit was fractured and indicated a flap setting of about 25 degrees.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was equipped with a Hemisphere AgJunction Satloc M3 Bantam, which recorded parameters during the accident flight. Data showed the airplane made multiple passes on a field 6 miles southeast of the accident site. At 14:52, it began spraying the field near the accident location, performing multiple passes with a lowest recorded altitude of 401 feet above mean sea level. The last data point was recorded at 14:55:07 near the main wreckage.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on August 21, 2014, by the Office of the Medical Examiner in Nashville, Tennessee, listed multiple blunt force injuries as the cause of death. Forensic toxicology conducted by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory found no ethanol in vitreous fluid and no drugs in the blood.