Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Canton, Mississippi 39046
Thursday, July 29, 2010 18:03 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the operator, the pilot was practicing maneuvers in the agricultural application airplane to improve his skills. Several witnesses observed the airplane spiraling nose down just before it impacted the ground, consistent with it having entered an aerodynamic stall. One of the witnesses recalled hearing the airplane's engine running during the accident sequence. No mechanical anomalies were noted during the postaccident examination of the airplane; however, the airplane was severely damaged due to the severe impact forces and post-crash fire. An annual inspection was completed on the airplane and engine 4 months prior to the accident, with no anomalies noted. Postaccident toxicological testing and autopsy findings revealed no evidence of a medical anomaly and no evidence of drugs or alcohol in the pilot's system. The pilot had been flying the airplane for about 1 month prior to the accident and had accumulated 54 hours of flight experience during that time.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1803
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Canton
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39046
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323605N
Event Location Longitude 0900202W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID JAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30355
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 6 2012 11:59AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9046D
NTSB Number ERA10LA385
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR INC
Aircraft Model AT-602
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 602-0562
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5615
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name AG PILOTS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 390 CREEKSIDE ESTATES
Aircraft Owner City ONALASKA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77360
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name AG PILOTS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 390 CREEKSIDE ESTATES
Operator City ONALASKA
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77360
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number J1TG742H
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City Canton
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Canton
Destination State MS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 6 2012 11:59AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --