The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on the fatal crash of Ryan McCallister’s Air Tractor AT-602. The accident occurred at 7 a.m. June 14, near Broseley.
According to the report, McCallister had been flying for roughly an hour before the incident. An unnamed witness said the plane’s engine sounded normal most of the time the pilot was working the field.
“However, toward the end of that time, the engine’s pitch increased slightly for three or four seconds before the sound then completely faded away,” the report stated.
An individual contacted the Butler County Sheriff’s Office at 8:30 a.m. saying McCallister’s aircraft was overdue. His Air Tractor was found shortly after, located about three miles from his airstrip and a half mile from the field he was spraying. The report said the plane collided with a treeline and a post-crash fire began.
“One tree, about 14 inches in diameter near the base, was broken off about 12 feet above ground level,” the NTSB recounted.
Beyond the witness account, the board has been unable to make a further determination.
“The airplane was equipped with a satellite tracking system; however, that system was destroyed (in) the post-impact fire,” the report noted.
The aircraft was taken to an NTSB warehouse for further examination. A final report will be released one to two years after the crash.