Air Tractor AT-400A N3157B

Summary

On 3 August 2025 at about 16:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-400A registered N3157B, operated by Black Dog Aviation, was involved in an accident near Lamoni, Iowa, 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

3 August 2025 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lamoni, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Lamoni Municipal (LWD)

Coordinates

40.6324, -93.9022

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-400A

Registration

N3157B

Category

Airplane

Year built

1982

Engines

1

Operator

Black Dog Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA303

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during an aborted takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after loading the airplane with fuel and product, he taxied the full length of the runway and began the takeoff roll. After takeoff, he flew the airplane above the runway in ground effect; however, the airplane settled back to the runway. The pilot stated that he was uncomfortable continuing the takeoff, so he aborted the takeoff by applying brakes and reducing engine power. To avoid nosing the airplane over and locking the tailwheel, he abruptly pulled back on the control stick. The airplane ballooned and came back down hard on the runway. The pilot did not want to impact houses and buildings on the side of the runway, so he kept the airplane aligned with the remaining runway. The airplane impacted shrubs and trees and came to rest in a ditch at the end of the runway. The wings and fuselage sustained substantial damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.