History of Flight
On July 8, 2017, at approximately 1453 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-602 (registration N4257R) impacted terrain near Cash, Arkansas, while conducting a Part 137 agricultural application flight for Quad Rabbit, Inc. The pilot, who was fatally injured in the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed. The flight, the pilot's sixth load of the day, had departed a private airstrip around 1449. Two witnesses reported observing the aircraft make a low-altitude turn before entering a spin with a nose-low attitude. The aircraft subsequently impacted a rice field adjacent to the field being treated.
Pilot Information
The 27-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on March 28, 2017, with no limitations. At the time of his last exam, the pilot was 73 inches tall and weighed 256 pounds. He reported 4,188 total flight hours on his medical application, with 320 hours accumulated in the previous six months. An insurance application from August 5, 2015, listed 1,750 hours in agricultural airplanes, including 150 hours in turbine-powered variants. The pilot's logbooks were not available for review.
Aircraft Information
The single-engine, low-wing, conventional-geared aircraft was equipped with a Pratt and Whitney PT6A-60AG turboprop engine. The Hobbs hour meter was destroyed, precluding determination of engine time-in-service. Aircraft maintenance records were not provided during the investigation.
Wreckage and Impact
The aircraft came to rest upright in a flooded rice field north of the treatment area, oriented southward. The forward fuselage was destroyed, and wing leading edges were crushed aft. The engine, firewall, cowling, hopper components, and upper instrument panel were found about 75 feet from the main wreckage, with a ground scar extending from the initial impact point. All flight control surfaces were located; elevator controls were continuous, aileron controls had fractures at wing attachment points, and rudder cables showed separations. Flaps were measured at about 11° deflection. Engine examination revealed rotational contact signatures on internal components, and propeller blades showed no evidence of beta mode or reverse pitch. No preimpact anomalies were found in the engine, airframe, or propeller. Small amounts of dry urea fertilizer were present at the site.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Arkansas State Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as generalized blunt force injuries, with coronary artery disease as a contributing factor. The pilot had severe coronary artery disease with about 90% narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery, along with mild interstitial and perivascular fibrosis. Toxicological testing was negative for ethanol, carbon monoxide, and tested drugs. The pilot had reported no medical concerns on his last FAA examination, and his family was unaware of any medical issues.
Additional Information
A SATLOC aerial guidance system recovered from the wreckage provided data on the flights. The accident occurred during the third trip to treat a field south of the site. The first flight involved an orbit followed by six passes; the second had 9.5 passes. Turns on the north side of the field averaged about 18 seconds. The third flight began with a south-to-north pass, and it is uncertain how many additional passes occurred before the accident. About four passes remained to finish the field.