No fatalities
2 Aug 2023: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502 — Airborne Custom Spraying — Halstad, MN
On 2 Aug 2023, an AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502 operated by Airborne Custom Spraying was involved in an aviation accident near Halstad, MN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s attempt to rotate the airplane without sufficient airspeed which resulted in a lack of climb performance and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt the takeoff with a tailwind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Probable cause
The pilot’s attempt to rotate the airplane without sufficient airspeed which resulted in a lack of climb performance and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt the takeoff with a tailwind.
— NTSB Determination
Contributing factors
PilotAirspeed — Not attained/maintainedAttain/maintain not possibleEffect on equipmentContributed to outcome