Air Tractor AT-401 N91968

Summary

On 24 August 2014 at about 22:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-401 registered N91968, operated by Red River Dusting Inc, was involved in an accident near Natchez, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 August 2014 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Natchez, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Private Airstrip (RRDI)

Coordinates

30.6067, -92.9517

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-401

Registration

N91968

Category

Airplane

Year built

1994

Engines

1

Operator

Red River Dusting Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Natchez → Natchez

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA450

Nobody was injured.

The loss of power due to the failure of the No. 2 exhaust valve and rocker boss during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during climbout for an agricultural flight, about 75 feet above the runway, he heard a loud "pop," and the engine started to lose power. He dumped the 250 gallons of chemical that weighed about 2,000 pounds. The airplane continued to lose altitude, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a cotton field. A postimpact engine fire ensued, consuming the airplane. An examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder exhaust rocker boss was cracked, which likely allowed oil to escape, which led to the loss of engine power and the subsequent fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.