Air Tractor Inc AT-502B N8523Z accident near Edwardsburg, Michigan

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to identify rising terrain and to maintain terrain clearance from trees during an aerial application pass that resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that while conducting an aerial application pass over a field, the airplane stuck trees and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot reported that the field had rising terrain toward its southern edge and as the airplane approached the southern edge, the airplane was unable to climb above the rising terrain. It is likely the pilot failed to identify the rising terrain in time to clear the trees.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA283 for the full record.