# Accident 19990723009519A: Airtrc AT301, Drew, MS, July 23, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 23, 1999, 15:00 local time - Place: Drew, MS - Airport: Ruleville-Drew Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Location: 33.8010° N, 90.5310° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8010&lon=-90.5310&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2368R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2368R-2001-11-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Air Tractor AT-301 (registry code 0390103, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT301 - Reported engine: PWA R1340AN1 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 4,200 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 300 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA203) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990723009519A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. (.19) ON JULY 23, 1999, ABOUT 1500 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR 301, N2368R, REGISTERED TO WARD AIR SERVICE INC., WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING TAKEOFF AT RULEVILLE-DREW AIRPORT, DREW, MISSISSIPPI. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) PREVAILED IN THE VICINITY, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE LOCAL AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 14 CFR PART 137. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING FROM A 3,000 FOOT RUNWAY WITH A FULL LOAD OF FERTILIZER. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, AND ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE LOST ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 2,500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE REPORTED TEMPERATURE IN THE VICINITY ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 96 DEGREES F, AND THE WINDS WERE FROM 330 DEGREES, AT 3 KNOTS. THE CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 2,559 FEET. THE FIELD ELEVATION WAS 137 FEET. (.4)THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING FROM A 3,000 FOOT RUNWAY WITH A FULL LOAD OF FERTILIZER. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, AND ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 2,500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 4 CYLINDER EXHAUST ROCKER BOX COVER WAS FRACTURED AND MISSING, AND APPEARED TO NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE NO. 4 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE AND SENT TO THE NTSB MATERIALS LABORATORY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR EXAMINATION. THE LABORATORY EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 4 CYLINDER HEAD HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE CRACKING, PROBABLY THE RESULT OF BOTH MECHANICAL AND THERMAL STRESSES. IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE FATIGUE ORIGINATED FIRST AT THE CORNERS OF THE EXHAUST ROCKER SHAFT HOLE IN BOSS '1', THEN INITIATED AT LOCALIZED CASTING DEFECTS IN BOSS '2' AS THE FATIGUE IN BOSS '1' GREW AND THE LOCAL STRESSES INCREASED IN THE REMAINING STRUCTURE. (-23)DURING CLIMB OUT THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST POWER. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN MARSHY FIELD A QUARTER TO HALF MILE FROM END OF RUNWAY AT M37 AND SUSTA INED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH TEMP./DP AT 36/23 DEGREES CELSIUS. ACFT. WAS LOADED WITH FERTILIZER. PILOT NOT INJURIED. ## 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 MIA99LA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA203), Jul 23, 1999: Air Tractor 301 (N2368R), Drew, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of engine power due to the failure of cylinder No. 4 boss, which was caused by fatigue cracking, resulting in a forced landing in marshy terrain and subsequent nose over. 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.