# Accident 20020806021329A: Airtrc AT301, Memphis, TN, August 6, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 6, 2002, 14:30 local time - Place: Memphis, TN - Damage: Substantial damage - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Location: 35.0458° N, 89.9781° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0458&lon=-89.9781&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3164E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3164E-2020-12-21) (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 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL02LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA153) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020806021329A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) MR. FORREST STATED HE IS AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR. ON AUGUST 7, 2002, HE WAS NOTIFIED OF AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON PRESIDENTS ISLAND, LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. THE AIRPLANE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301, N3164E. THE AIRPLANE IS REGISTERED TO BEN P. BAKER, DOING BUSINESS AS BAKER FLYING SERVICE INC. THE PILOT WAS NOT LOCATED AT THE CRASH SITE. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE PILOT MADE AN APPROACH TO THE GRASS RUNWAY TO THE NORTH. MR. FORREST STATED HE 6 FEET 2 INCHES TALL, AND THE JOHNSON GRASS ON THE RUNWAY WAS AS HIGH AS HIS HEAD. THERE WAS A DUSTY ROAD LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF THE GRASS RUNWAY, AND OTHER SUITABLE AVAILABLE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AREAS WERE LOCATED WITHIN 3 MILES OF PRESIDENT'S ISLAND. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING ROLLOUT. THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT SPREADING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, SEPARATING THE TAIL WHEEL AND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE CRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, AND FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE FUEL TANK. READ THE STATEMENT BACK TO MR. FORREST AND HE AGREED WITH THE STATEMENT. MR. PARKHURST STATED HE IS A COMMERCIAL PILOT, CERTIFICATE NO. 2349273, AND IS EMPLOYED BY BEN P. BAKER, OF BAKER FLYING SERVICE INC., AS A CROP DUSTER. ON 08/06/02, HE WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301, N3164E. HE DEPARTED COVINGTON, TENNESSEE, ABOUT 1200 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME TO CONDUCT NUMEROUS AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHTS IN THE LOCAL AREA. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED NOR WAS A WEATHER BRIEFING OBTAINED. AT ABOUT 1425 HE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AFTER MAKING A SWATH RUN ON PRESIDENTS ISLAND. THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER; IT CLEARED, AND STARTED AGAIN. HE SUSPECTED THE ENGINE HAD SOME WATER IN IT. HE DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A GRASS STRIP ON PRESIDENTS ISLAND. HE MADE AN APPROACH TO THE NORTH. HE COULD NOT TELL THERE WAS HIGH GRASS ON THE RUNWAY AND HE DID NOT SEE THE DIRT ROADWAY TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY UNTIL LATE IN THE APPROACH. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOME HIGH JOHNSON GRASS. HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT, BOTH WINGS COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, THE TAIL WHEEL SEPARATED, AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS SPREAD. HE EXITED THE AIRPLANE UNASSISTED AND WITHOUT INJURY. WHEN ASKED WHY HE DID NOT CONTINUE TO OTHER AVAILABLE AIRPORTS IN THE AREA, MR. PARKHURST STATED HE WAS NERVOUS AND FELT HE SHOULD PUT IT DOWN ON PRESIDENT'S ISLAND. READ THE STATEMENT BACK TO MR. PARKHURST AND HE AGREED WITH THE STATEMENT. ## 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 ATL02LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA153), Aug 6, 2002: Air Tractor AT-301 (N3164E), Memphis, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to make a precautionary landing to an unsuitable sod airstrip that resulted in a ground loop. A factor was tall vegetation. ## Other reports on N3164E (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19870515036179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870515036179I), May 15, 1987: Airtrc AT301 (N3164E), Harvard, IL. Severe vibration felt in level attitude during spray operation. Landed and found 10 inches of drop blade separated 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.