Pilot Debrief

AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B near Forbes, MO — 2026-06-16

Investigation ongoingANC26FA054
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Date
2026-06-16
Location
Forbes, MO, USA
Aircraft
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B
Registration
N503GK
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On June 15, 2026, about 2015 Central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502B airplane, N503GK, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Forbes, Missouri. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 Agricultural flight. According to the operator, the airplane was working off a remote grass airstrip 15 miles northwest of Rosecrans Airport (KSTJ) starting at 1730. The purpose of the flight was to apply urea and ammonia sulfate to a corn field. The pilot was working 5 miles southeast of the grass airstrip. There were two company airplanes working in the area. Each airplane was equipped with a Mode C transponder and automatic dependent surveillance- broadcast (ADS-B). They maintained two-way communication between the two airplanes and the ground crew. There was no distress calls made on the radio or any indication of a mechanical problem with the accident airplane, and there were no witnesses to the accident. The airplane wreckage was subsequently found nose down, in an area of tree-covered terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and empennage. A detailed wreckage examination is pending.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Unknown or undetermined · Unknown
View NTSB preliminary report

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