History of Flight
On June 17, 2021, at 2022 eastern daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-402B airplane, registration N402SJ, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near the Kinston Drag Strip in Kinston, North Carolina. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a positioning flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to a friend who spoke with the pilot via mobile telephone for most of the flight, the pilot had just finished a full day of agricultural spraying and was departing Mount Olive Airport (W40), Mount Olive, North Carolina, for his home airstrip in Dover, North Carolina. During the call, the pilot mentioned he intended to perform a flyover at the Kinston drag strip. About three to four minutes before the call ended, the pilot described an issue with a "light on the wing." The friend asked if that was a bad thing, and the pilot replied, "no I don't have to turn that on." Shortly after, the engine noise increased and became higher in pitch. About ten seconds before the call ended, the pilot stated, "I'm dead," repeated it after the friend responded, and then an impact sound was heard. The engine noise was constant until the call ended at 2022.
The owner of the Kinston Drag Strip, who was present with several hundred spectators for an evening of drag racing, observed the airplane flying low over a lake, disturbing the water with wing vortices. The engine noise was extremely loud. He then saw the airplane pull up, disappear from view, and heard a crash moments later. Another witness on the drag strip reported that the airplane dove down over the water, went vertical, and appeared upside-down during the maneuver. At the top of the climb, the propeller changed speeds. The airplane then descended rapidly and caught fire upon impact. Multiple witnesses provided similar accounts.
Videos captured by personal electronic devices showed the airplane approaching the drag strip from the north at a low altitude, then entering a steep climb from an inverted attitude. At the top of the climb, it rolled to the right, became upright, and descended in a nose-down attitude. The airplane impacted terrain in a near-vertical left bank attitude and exploded upon impact.
A police report indicated that bystanders reported that over the previous weeks, the accident airplane had overflown the drag strip several times, performing "tricks, going up and letting the plane stall and recovering." One witness reported that on the Sunday prior to the accident, the airplane performed a flyover and barrel rolls while emitting a mist or smoke thought to be for spectators. The drag strip owner stated he was unaware of the planned flyover and had not given permission.
Personnel Information
According to FAA records, the pilot was the president of Eastern Flying Service Inc., a Part 137 agricultural operations business. He conducted agricultural operations with the accident airplane from a private airstrip at his residence. In addition to his pilot certificates, he held a mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was an Air Tractor AT-402B. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) explicitly prohibited acrobatic maneuvers, including spins. Published stall speeds for various bank angles at flaps-up and flaps-down configurations were provided in the manual. The AFM indicated that the maximum altitude loss in a wings-level stall recovery at 6,000 pounds was 220 feet.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted a chain-link fence in an open grass area about 60 feet from the drag strip track. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, and an explosion and post-crash fire consumed most of the left wing; the remainder sustained minimal fire damage. All flight control surfaces were located. Several push-pull rods were bent or separated, exhibiting features consistent with overload. Control cable continuity was traced from the cockpit to all surfaces. The flap actuator extension jackscrew measured approximately 3 inches, corresponding to 22.5° of flaps extended (maximum flap travel is 26°).
The engine and all three propeller blades were found below the forward fuselage, completely submerged in terrain. The blades remained intact but had separated from the hub. One blade exhibited significant torsional bending; each had leading-edge gouges, with one consistent with impact from the chain-link fence. The engine sustained severe impact damage, fracturing into two pieces aft of the air inlet screen. Internal examination of the power section revealed signatures consistent with rotation at impact. Examination of the airframe and engine found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University determined the cause of death as multiple traumatic injuries of the head, chest, abdomen, and both lower extremities due to the plane crash. Toxicology testing by the FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory found no evidence of impairing drugs.