Air Tractor AT-301 N2316X

Summary

On 17 August 1997 at about 01:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N2316X was involved in an accident near Vernon, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 August 1997 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Vernon, Texas, United States

Coordinates

34.1409, -99.2992

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N2316X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

FTW97LA317

Nobody was injured.

failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from an irrigation pipe. Factors relating to the accident were: the poor light condition at dusk, the object (vertical piece of irragation pipe), loss of engine power from foreign object damage, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was flying a swath run over a cotton field at dusk, when his airplane's engine 'lost most of its power.' He stated that he tried to land straight ahead, but 'had to pop-up over a road into the next field.' The next field was terraced. During the landing, the airplane impacted a terrace, which 'flipped the airplane over on its back.' The farmer, whose field was being sprayed, reported to the pilot that 'there was a vertical piece of irrigation pipe in the field that was bent.' The repair facility, where the engine was sent, reported that the number 5 cylinder had received damage when it was 'apparently struck or hit by something.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.