NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW88IA029
Registry · N121AA
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602
Year of manufacture
2020
Engine
P&W CANADA PT6A-65AG (1300 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20200401
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A0576A
Registrant of record
AG AIR INC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE HARD LANDING THE CAPTAIN WAS OBSERVED BY THE COPILOT AND FLIGHT ENGINEER TO BE INCAPACITATED. THE COPILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND GUIDED IT ONTO A HIGH SPEED TAXIWAY. WITH THE AID OF A FLIGHT ATTENDANT AND THE FLIGHT ENGINEER MANIPULATING THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIED SAFELY TO THE GATE. THE CAPTAIN WAS FOUND TO HAVE DIED OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION. THE AUTOPSY REVEALED SEVERE OCCLUSIVE ARTHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE OF SEVERAL CORONARY ARTERIES. THE PILOT HAD A LONG HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION AND GOUT, WHICH HAD BEEN UNDER CONTROL UNTIL 18 MONTHS BEFORE THE INCIDENT WHEN A STRESS TEST WAS ABNORMAL. THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE THE RECOMMENDED FOLLOW-UP CARE AND FAILED TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM ON HIS TWO SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS FOR CLASS 1 MEDICAL CERTIFICATES, ON WHICH HE FALSELY INDICATED THAT HE WAS ON A FAA-APPROVED HEALTH MAINTENANCE PROGRAM ADMINISTRERED BY AMERICAN AIRLINES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1987_FTW88IA029.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗