# NTSB CEN09LA239: Air Tractor AT-301, N36597, Corning, AR, April 7, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 7, 2009, 12:06 local (17:06 UTC)
- Place: Corning, AR
- Coordinates: 36.410083, -90.579666 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4101&lon=-90.5797&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 10, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73615
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA239
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73615/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73615
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA239

## Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to the failure of the number one engine cylinder for undetermined reasons.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The commercial pilot was on departure from initial takeoff when the engine "popped" several times and stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a rice field off the departure end of the runway. The pilot found the number one cylinder head cracked during a postaccident examination of the airplane. Additional examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left aileron and both horizontal stabilizers. Additional examination of the cracked cylinder head could not be accomplished and a cause of the failure was not determined.

## Factual narrative

On April 7, 2009, at 1206 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301 airplane, N36597, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Corning, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The cross country flight was originating from Corning Municipal Airport (4M9), Corning, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot stated he had just purchased the airplane and the accident flight was his first in that airplane. He and a mechanic examined the airplane prior to flight and did not observe any anomalies with the airplane or engine. The pilot started the engine and allowed it to idle and warm up for fifteen minutes prior to taxiing to takeoff. He stated the preflight and engine run-up were normal. The pilot reported he was on departure from initial takeoff when the engine "popped" several times and stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a rice field off the departure end of the runway. The pilot found the number one cylinder head cracked during a post accident examination of the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left aileron and both horizontal stabilizers bent downward. Examination of the cracked cylinder head was not possible and a cause of the failure was not determined.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N36597](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36597-2015-05-19), registration cancelled 2015-05-19, S/N 301-0331, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-301
- Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (registry code 0390103) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 301-0331
- Engines: P&W R1340 SERIES 600 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Operator: Wenzel Richard E
- Registered owner: Wenzel Richard E
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed: 4M9, Corning, AR
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: 4M9, Corning Municipal Airport

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: single

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20090407003319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090407003319A), Apr 7, 2009: Airtrc AT301, Corning, AR, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 7, 2009 at 1146 CST a air tractor 301, N36597 registered to [privacy data omitted] took off from Corning Municipal Airport (4M9) in Corning…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73615. 1.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 559 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314901&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 2, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314902&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF
- Photo - Wreckage 1 (item 3, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314904&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20-%20Wreckage%201-Master.PDF
- Photo - Wreckage 2 (item 4, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314906&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20-%20Wreckage%202-Master.PDF
- Photo - Wreckage 3 (item 5, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314908&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20-%20Wreckage%203-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 - Cylinder 1 (item 6, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314909&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Cylinder%201-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Cylinder 1 (item 7, .PDF, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40314910&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Cylinder%201-Master.PDF

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.

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