Report released on collision of two crop duster airplanes near Arco

Two crop duster airplanes collided midair near Arco last month, killing one pilot and severely injuring the other. After investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the incident.

Both pilots were employed and flying planes owned by Visser Ag Inc.

The deceased pilot was identified as Sage Teichert, a 43-year-old resident of Osgood. The other pilot, whose name is not public, is slowly recovering, according to a statement from Brandon Visser, the owner of Visser Ag Inc. The pilot suffered traumatic brain injury, multiple breaks on both legs and a fractured pelvis.

“He is making progress every day, but it will be a long road to full recovery for him,” Visser stated. “His family wishes to thank all those who have reached out and showed their support.”

According to the report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilots started working at 5:30 a.m. on June 20, the day of the accident. They had flown multiple morning flights and returned to the airport before the collision.

Teichert departed the Arco-Butte County Airport at about 12:30 p.m. carrying 400 gallons of a mixture of fungicide and insecticide for wheat. The other pilot left the airport at about 12:45 p.m. with full fuel tanks and 575 gallons of insecticide for potatoes.

Flight records show Teichert was flying over wheat fields north of the accident site. He then flew south and over the potato fields which the other plane was working. Most of the remaining fields Teichert had to spray were across U.S. Highway 26.

The NTSB report said two witnesses traveling on the highway saw one airplane flying south over the highway at low altitude. The second airplane was traveling north toward the first plane. The southbound plane appeared to turn left in front of the northbound airplane, the report said. The northbound airplane then appeared to turn left to avoid the first airplane before they collided.

The planes collided at 12:58 p.m. Both airplanes came to rest on flat terrain covered in sagebrush south of the highway. Portions of both airplanes’ right wings were found in the debris field between the planes’ wreckage.