What happened
On 29 July 2026, an Air Tractor AT-502B with registration 5N-BPV, operated by Agro Spray Limited, was conducting aerial fertilizer application over the Olam Rice Farm in Doma, Nasarawa State. The single-pilot flight began at approximately 07:00 local time under Visual Flight Rules. After completing fifteen sorties and a refueling stop, the pilot resumed operations at 10:19. At 10:31, the aircraft departed Runway 23 for its seventeenth sortie.
At about 10:45, the aircraft touched down on Runway 05, approximately 200 meters from the threshold. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the right wheel brake appeared unresponsive after deceleration. The aircraft veered to the left of the runway centerline and came to a stop against the wire-mesh perimeter fence, roughly 50 meters from the centerline. The left main wheel tire became stuck in mud. The pilot shut down the engine and disembarked without injury. The airstrip’s firefighting team arrived at the scene within one minute.
The investigation
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) was notified by the operator on the day of the occurrence and dispatched investigators to the site the following day. The preliminary report notes that the aircraft sustained slight damage, including bent propeller blades. A key observation from the initial site inspection was that the right rudder pedal linkage was found loose at its attachment point. The NSIB is currently conducting a detailed examination of the right main wheel brake system and the rudder pedal linkage, along with a review of the aircraft's maintenance records.
Findings
Initial findings established that the pilot held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence and was qualified for the operation. The aircraft possessed a valid Certificate of Airworthiness. Weather conditions at the time were calm with visibility exceeding 10 km. No fire occurred, and there were no fatalities or injuries to personnel on board or on the ground.