The light attack aircraft went down in a field for unknown reasons minutes after taking off for a training mission.
A U.S. Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II had to make a forced landing in a field near Oklahoma City on October 23, 2025. The OA-1K struck two power poles while landing, causing a small grass fire, but the crew was able to exit the aircraft unharmed.
the incident
According to local authorities, the plane crashed near SE 119th Street and Sooner Road around 2:42 p.m. local time. The causes are still unknown, some sources are reporting possible engine failure and an investigation is now underway.
The aircraft departed Will Rogers International Airport, where it is operated by a partnership between the 492nd and 137th Special Operations Wings of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and the Oklahoma Air National Guard (ANG), respectively.
What appears to be an L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider II with the Oklahoma Air National Guard’s 185th Special Operations Squadron, based at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, crashed this afternoon near Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. pic.twitter.com/5LVIGrf7Rx
-OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 23, 2025
The Oklahoma ANG confirmed that no injuries were reported among the crew, which included a civilian contractor and an active duty U.S. Air Force member. Both the aircraft and crew are assigned to the 492nd SOW.
An active duty aircraft from the 492nd Special Operations Wing operating out of Will Rogers crashed today. This is not an Oklahoma Air National Guard aircraft or crew.
Due to proximity and collaboration, the Oklahoma National Guard is assisting with communications. pic.twitter.com/JzILZD8mYp
— Oklahoma National Guard (@OKGuard) October 23, 2025
Open source flight tracking showed that the plane, serial 22-0009, was flying at low altitude with the callsign “ZORRO75,” and the incident occurred southwest of Tinker Air Force Base.
OA-1K 22-0009 crashed shortly after takeoff from Will Rogers World Airport.
No injuries reported.#AAF024 #ZORRO75 https://t.co/9X0F8vIUb2 pic.twitter.com/GUX7Kc3LaQ
—Nick H. ✈︎ (@N214WN) October 23, 2025
According to recorded radio communications, FOX 75 called May on the Oklahoma City Approach frequency shortly before crashing.
This is nonsense… why does the richest country in the world fly single-engine crop dusters as if it were a third-party country? I do not envy these people and I pray for them. pic.twitter.com/CW3AUDscSW
– Thenewrea51 (@thenewrea51) October 24, 2025
Another Skyraider II, ZORRO 55, was flying in the area and immediately headed to ZORRO 75’s location to assist.
AT-802U Sky Warden (Air Tractor L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider II) with the 17th Special Operations Squadron operating out of Will Rogers International Airport crashed near SW 119th and Sooner Road in Moore. OKC FD has responded. Initial report: both crew members are fine. pic.twitter.com/uE2HmDDdyj
-Michael Armstrong (@KOCOMichael) October 23, 2025
A video that surfaced on social media, purportedly recorded by cameras aboard a Tesla car, shows the plane skimming the nearby road during the crash landing, barely missing the passing car.
Some crazy footage from what appears to be a Tesla dash cam found on TikTok from this incident. The username is mtocchian1. https://t.co/AiLWfkWZOq pic.twitter.com/8RT01UTzva
– TieDye Intel (@TieDyeIntel) October 24, 2025
Judging by the video and photographs of what happened, the plane could have hit power lines near an intersection after landing, ending its journey with a 90° turn to the left.
Images from the crash site show extensive damage to the left wing (almost severed, collapsed right landing gear, bent propeller and possibly damage to the right wing), which appears to be touching the ground. In particular, the plane took with it a stop sign that was located at the highway intersection.
Well, he blew through that stop sign. https://t.co/xILDjKRexi pic.twitter.com/W01XEYtXla
– Intelschizo (@Schizointel) October 24, 2025
Precedents
This is the first reported incident of the OA-1K Skyraider II on mission since it was first delivered in April 2025. However, in November 2024, an AT-802U, on which the Skyraider II is based and which uses the service to train future OA-1K crews, reportedly overshot the runway.
The incident caused minor damage to the aircraft, including a propeller stroke. The aircraft, serial 22-0007 and assigned to the Oklahoma ANG, has since been repaired and returned to flight.
Sky Raider II
The OA-1K, a variant of the AT-802U, was the winner of the Special Operations Command Armed Oversight contract in 2022. The aircraft beat out the Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine, Embraer A-29 Super Tucano and PZL’s M28B 1R Bryza.
The purpose of the contract was to equip the AFSOC with a small airframe for close air support (CAS), strike and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The aircraft are built in Olney, Texas, and are equipped for the armed surveillance mission in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The OA-1K was officially named Skyraider II in February 2025. The name revives the legacy of the rugged and versatile A-1 Skyraider, which served from 1946 to the early 1980s, AFSOC said.
According to Air Tractor, the AT-802U is equipped with eight wing-mounted hardpoints capable of carrying 500-pound (227 kg) munitions, plus two center stations for 1,000-pound (454 kg) weapons, giving it a total payload capacity of 8,000 pounds (3,629 kg). The internal hard points are optimized for externally mounted weapons, with calibers ranging from .50 caliber to 20mm. The aircraft features a two-person cabin, armored engine and fuel tanks, self-sealing fuel cells, and a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F engine.
A key advantage of the Skyraider II is its low operating cost. Air Tractor reports its cost per flight hour to be hundreds of dollars, far less than the thousands or even tens of thousands per hour of existing U.S. Air Force aircraft performing similar missions. Beyond its military role, the AT-802 has extensive experience in crop fumigation, aerial firefighting and drug interdiction.
The OA-1K will complement the U-28A Draco, a single-engine counterinsurgency (COIN) and ISR platform based on the Pilatus PC-12. The U.S. Air Force currently operates the Draco under two wings: the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. While the Skyraider II will take over many of its functions, the U-28A will continue to operate in a limited capacity.
