What happened
On September 5, 2024, at approximately 10:14 mountain daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-602, registration N602BA, was performing a Part 137 agricultural flight near Camden, Colorado, when it was involved in a fatal accident. The flight was being conducted for Scott Aviation Inc. over a sugar beet field.
According to a witness, the aircraft completed an initial flight line and a first spray pass. While performing a second spray pass heading west along the northern edge of the field, the aircraft appeared to pitch up over a group of large cottonwood trees, rolled to the right, and descended into a cornfield north of County Rd W.
Investigation of the wreckage distribution indicates that the outboard three feet of the right wing struck a power transformer mounted on a power pole. The pole's first cross support was approximately 3ered 37 feet above ground level, with the second support at 39 feet. The impact caused the aircraft to travel 1,232 feet west-northwest, where it impacted the ground in an inverted position. The aircraft slid 116 feet after the initial ground impact. There was no evidence of a post-impact fire. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage did not identify any pre-impact mechanical failures that would have prevented normal operation. All primary flight control surfaces, including the elevators, ailerons, rudder, and flaps, were accounted for. While impact damage prevented the confirmation of flight control continuity from the cockpit to the ailerons and elevator, all observed damage to the control tubes was consistent with impact-related overstress or recovery efforts. The rudder cables remained continuous from the rudder horn to the cockpit pedals. The flaps were found in a fully retracted position, consistent with the position of the flap actuator jackscrew.