Pratt Industrial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pratt, Kansas 67124
Monday, July 22, 2002 10:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The aerial application flight descended into the corn crops that the pilot was spraying before impacting the ground. The pilot was attempting to roundout and level the airplane at an altitude of 5-10 feet above the corn when he noticed the airplane settling into the corn. He then added power and pitched the nose up slightly, but the descent continued into the corn and terrain. No mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. A factor was low altitude flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/2002
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Pratt
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67124
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Pratt Industrial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 315
Airport Elevation 1952
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID GBD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1887
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) 3264
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13907
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1614
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Wichita, Kansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60747
NTSB Number CHI02LA206
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-401B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1000
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 14 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 227.6
Airframe Hours 1835.6
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FARMERS SPRAYING SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 200 E. Scott
Aircraft Owner City Greensburg
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67054
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code WDPG
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTT
Departure City Pratt
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1028
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PTT
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 18 2003 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --