Air Tractor Inc AT-602 N9046D accident near Canton, Mississippi

Probable cause

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

NTSB analysis

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.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10LA385 for the full record.