# Accident 19990513020839A: Airtrc AT400, Louisville, MS, May 13, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 13, 1999, 10:05 local time
- Place: Louisville, MS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 33.1209° N, 89.0492° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1209&lon=-89.0492&mi=10
- Aircraft: N36493, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36493-2000-03-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-400 (registry code 0390202, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-400) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT400
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A21
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 400 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA085) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990513020839A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 13, 1999, AT 1100 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A AIR TRACTOR AT-400, N36493, COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, IN LOUISVILLE, MISSISSIPPI. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT.  THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED.  THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES.  DAMAGE CONSISTED OF BOTH WING SPARS AND THE EMPENNAGE.  (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, HE HEARD A LOUD WHINING AND GRINDING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS.  THE PILOT THEN HEARD AN ABRUPT LOUD NOISE THAT RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOOKED AT THE TORQUE GAUGE AS THE NEEDLE FELL TO ZERO, HE THEN TRADED AIRSPEED FOR ALTITUDE GAIN AND APPLIED FULL FLAPS, SETTING UP THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO THE TREES.  AN EXAMINATION OF BOTH THE FUEL LINE AND ENGINE WAS CO DUCTED. THE FUEL LINE EXAMINATION DETECTED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE FUEL LINE OR AT THE FUEL CONTROLLER, AND VERY LITTLE IN BOTH MAIN TANKS.  THE ENGINE EXAMINATION CONCLUDED THAT LESS THAN 1 OZ. OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE FUEL FILTER, AND LESS THAN 12 OZ. OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FIREWALL FUEL FILTER. LESS THAN A GALLON OF FUEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM. NO FUEL SPILLAGE NOTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY FAILED TO DISCLOSE AN OBVIOUS INTERNAL COMPONENT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           (-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF PILOR REPORTED ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND ENGINE FAILURE FOLLOWED. PILOT MADE OFF AIRPORT LANDING CAUSING SUBSTAINIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ATL99LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA085), May 13, 1999: Air Tractor AT-400 (N36493), Louisville, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL.

## Other reports on N36493 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19820407042549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820407042549A), Apr 7, 1982: Airtrc AT400 (N36493), Edna, TX, Substantial damage. Struck a dump truck parked on the runway while landing after dark without lights on aircraft or runway.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.