Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
San Manuel Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Manuel, Arizona 85361
Saturday, July 27, 2002 11:30 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane collided with mountainous terrain while maneuvering in a box canyon. The purpose of the flight was to seed a fire devastated portion of a National Forest. The area where he was applying seed was in a box canyon that he had flown into several times, in days prior. After successfully completing a seed run, near the closed end of the canyon, he began a course reversal turn. About halfway through the turn, the airplane experienced a rapid loss of altitude. He ascertained that the airplane would not be able to complete the turn, and leveled the wings. The airplane stalled, and collided with flat terrain on the side of the mountain. He thought the loss of altitude that he experienced was the result of mountain downdrafts. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering in a box canyon, which resulted in a stall/mush. A factor in the accident was downdraft conditions that led to an uncontrolled decent.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/27/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1130 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | San Manuel |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85361 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323811N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1103850W |
| Event Location Airport | San Manuel Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | E77 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 13 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 225 |
| Airport Elevation | 3274 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1155 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KTUS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2643 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| 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) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 4138 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16339 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 27 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1709 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 29 2004 1:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Scottsdale, AZ FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N293JK |
| NTSB Number | LAX02LA240 |
| 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-502 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 502-0210 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 9200 |
| 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 | Aug 31 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90 |
| Airframe Hours | 3750 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DEVIL DUSTERS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 908 N 26th Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Artesia |
| Aircraft Owner State | NM |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 88210 |
| 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 | WBMG |
| 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 | E77 |
| Departure City | San Manuel |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1115 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | E77 |
| Destination City | San Manuel |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - aerial application |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 26 2004 4:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |