Air Tractor AT-301 N3158W

Summary

On 15 July 2007 at about 20:03 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N3158W was involved in an accident near Osceola, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 July 2007 at 20:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Osceola, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N3158W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wakarusa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI07LA208

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the trees during the aerial application flight. Factors associated with the accident were the trees and the pilot's lack of experience in flying aerial application flights.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED SEPTEMBER 19, 2008." The pilot was spraying a short field that had wooded areas on both the north and south ends of the field when the accident occurred. Data from the global positioning system (GPS) that was onboard the airplane indicated the airplane was heading north prior to entering a right turn to the south just prior to impacting the trees. The initial tree impact was at the edge of a heavily wooded area, adjacent to the field that was being sprayed. The airplane continued into the wooded area contacting trees up to 12 inches in diameter, prior to coming to rest inverted. Clean, freshly cut branches were located along the impact trail. The pilot began flying aerial application flights a couple a weeks prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.