NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CEN25LA187
Registry · N216TA
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602
Year of manufacture
2013 · 12 years old at event
Engine
P&W CANADA PT6A-65AG (1300 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20130430
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1D176
Registrant of record
TAILWINDS AIR INC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with soft terrain conditions during the landing which resulted in a loss of directional and a subsequent nose-over.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that during the landing on a dry grass airstrip, the airplane encountered a soft terrain area on the runway. The airplane was then pulled into a softer area toward the edge of the runway where it nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing leading edge and ribs and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented by refraining from operating on airstrips with soft runways. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Attain/maintain not possible
- — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Soft surface-Ability to respond/compensate
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2025_CEN25LA187.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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