Air Tractor Inc AT-402B N5085Q accident near Alcolu, South Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree. Contributing to the accident was the sunglare.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, he was conducting an aerial application flight over a field. His vision was obstructed by glare from the sun, and he did not see a dead tree in front of the airplane until “it was too late.” The airplane impacted the tree and descended into the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. He further reported about 14,000 hours of total flight experience, which included 4,700 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA309 for the full record.