N9046DAir Tractor AT-602 · 1999

On July 29, 2010, at 1803 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-602, N9046D, collided with the ground in a heavily wooded area while maneuvering, in Canton, Mississippi. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and post-crash fire. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from a private grass strip in Canton, Mississippi, at an undetermined time.

According to the operator, the pilot was practicing maneuvers in the airplane to improve his skills. The operator stated that the pilot had accumulated about 50 hours of total flight experience in this airplane at the time of the accident.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed witnesses at the scene. According to the inspector, two witnesses observed the airplane spiraling nose down just before it impacted the ground. One of the witnesses recalled hearing the airplane's engine running during the accident sequence.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane. He also held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, and single-engine sea. The pilot's most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on September 9, 2005. At that time, he reported 704 hours of total flight experience.

Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed he had accumulated 1,009 hours of total flight experience, 54 of which were in the accident airplane. According to the logbook, the pilot began flying the accident airplane on July 4, 2010.

The pilot also held an experimental aircraft builder repairman certificate. The limitation on the certificate was for experimental aircraft: Arnold GT500, serial number: GT500/0275.

The accident airplane was a low-wing, single engine airplane, manufactured in 1999. The airplane was powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engine.

Examination of the airplane and engine logbooks revealed the most recent annual inspection was completed on March 4, 2010 at a recorded time of 5,615 hours. No anomalies were noted during the inspection.

The weather recorded at Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN), Jackson, Mississippi, at 1754, included wind from 300 degrees at 7 knots, scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, temperature 33 degrees C, dew point 22 degrees C, and altimeter 30.04 inches mercury.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a nose down near vertical attitude, between two soy bean fields. The airplane came to rest inverted and burned.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on the pilot on July 30, 2010. The cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries.

The FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma conducted toxicological testing on the pilot. No drugs or alcohol were detected as a result of the testing.