# Accident 19910709026639A: Airtrc AT401, Imperial, CA, July 9, 1991

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 1991, 23:30 local time
- Place: Imperial, CA
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NJGG
- Location: 32.6905° N, 115.5106° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6905&lon=-115.5106&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4538K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4538K-1994-10-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-401 (registry code 0390204, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT401
- Reported engine: PWA R1340AN1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,100 total, 1,400 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX91LA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX91LA302) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910709026639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

UNKNOWN TO PILOT BARRIER SIGN ON RUNWAY PRIOR NIGHT TAKEOFF. HIT SIGN WENT AROUND AND STRUCK HAY BALES ON LANDING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX91LA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX91LA302), Jul 10, 1991: Air Tractor AT-401 (N4538K), Calexico, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: THE ERECTION OF A CONSTRUCTION SIGN ON AN ACTIVE RUNWAY BY COUNTY WORKERS WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE AIRPORT OPERATORS, AND, THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF THE SIGN DURING THE DARK…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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