- Date
- September 17, 2010, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Atkins, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2309FAir Tractor AT-301
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20100917046689A
- Case key
- 77491
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A partial loss of engine power during low-altitude flight for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was conducting an aerial application flight when he observed a puff of smoke from the radial engine. The engine then experienced a partial loss of power and the pilot attempted to land at a nearby airstrip. While maneuvering to land, the airplane's descent rate did not allow for a landing on the airstrip and the pilot subsequently landed in a rice field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to its vertical fin. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot was flying an aerial application flight when the pilot observed a puff of smoke come from the radial engine. The airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power, so the pilot attempted to land at a nearby airstrip. While maneuvering to land, the airplane's descent rate did not allow for a landing of the airstrip and the airplane landed in a rice field. During the landing roll out, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane's vertical fin. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2309F
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0354
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Clark Kelly W Jr
- Registered owner
- Clark Kelly W Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Atkins, AR
- Destination
- Atkins, AR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 2,154 total · 355 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 14 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.