Air Tractor AT-401 N1549D

Summary

On 28 May 1996 at about 22:10 local time, a Air Tractor AT-401 registered N1549D was involved in an accident near Lake Providence, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 May 1996 at 22:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Providence, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

32.8107, -91.1799

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-401

Registration

N1549D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96FA228

1 person died.

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed, while maneuvering (turning), which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. The high gusty wind condition was a related factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was returning to home base from the north, following an aerial application of rice seed in the local area. After making a low pass down the runway, the airplane circled right to a northerly heading, then it turned back south. When the airplane was approximately abeam the midpoint of the runway, it entered another right turn. According to witnesses: with the 'nose of the airplane up,' the airplane 'seemed to over bank and went straight into the ground.' Also, they reported that the engine sounded 'normal.' The airplane impacted in an open field, approximately 300 feet west of the south end of the air strip. An examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact structural or mechanical anomalies. Witnesses reported the winds were 225 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20. The witnesses also reported that the wind sock was 'straight out,' and that thunderstorms were located approximately 1.5 miles to the south of the accident site.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.