# NTSB CEN22LA157: Air Tractor AT-401, N9192E, Rayville, LA, March 26, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 26, 2022, 16:14 local (21:14 UTC) - Place: Rayville, LA - Coordinates: 32.519802, -91.704144 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5198&lon=-91.7041&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104851 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA157 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104851/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104851 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA157 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for a reason that could not be determined based on available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-401, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=0390204), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-401, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0390204), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during an agricultural spray pass the engine began to run abnormally. As he climbed over powerlines and trees, he looked for a place to land. The engine subsequently stopped producing any power. During the event, the engine started and stopped producing power two or three times. After touching down in a field, the airplane went over an embankment, the right wing struck an irrigation unit, and the airplane ultimately nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The recovery crew reported that there was only a trace of fuel recovered from the airplane. However, the pilot’s son refuted this information, stating that fuel was draining from the airplane’s right fuel tank vent immediately after the accident and that the recovery crew drained more than 60 gallons of fuel from the airplane when it was recovered. Postaccident examination of the airplane, including the engine and airframe fuel system, revealed no anomalies. Based on the available information, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On March 26, 2022, about 1614 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-401, N9192E, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Rayville, Louisiana. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The pilot reported that he was making the final agricultural spray passes on a field when the airplane engine began to “spit and sputter and miss”. He exited the field and climbed over trees and power transmission lines when the engine again started running abnormally. He examined the area for a safe place to land and the engine stopped producing power. He noted that the engine restarted and stopped two or three times as he maneuvered for landing. After touching down in a field, the airplane went over an embankment alongside a water-filled ditch. After it touched down on the opposite side of the ditch, the right wing struck an irrigation unit, the airplane turned sideways, and then nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that when the engine lost power he cycled the magnetos, actuated the wobble pump, and performed other troubleshooting checks, but he didn’t have much time. He noted that the engine acted like it ran out of fuel, but he had just fueled before the accident load. He noted that there was fuel on board and that the airplane had fuel pressure and he had checked the magnetos. He said that this was the 14th load of the day, and the airplane was running well. He remembered that the pretakeoff magneto check showed only 50 rpm drop on one and 60 on the other. When the engine stopped producing power, it “just quit and there wasn’t anything [he] could do about it”. He said they had been fueling the airplane every 2 loads and reiterated that they had fueled just before the accident load. Postaccident examination confirmed engine rotation and valvetrain continuity. All cylinders except for the No. 8 cylinder produced suction and compression during propeller rotation. Removal of the No. 8 cylinder did not reveal any anomalies. Examination of the carburetor and airplane fuel system did not reveal any anomalies, and all engine controls were operational. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The recovery crew reported that there was only a trace of fuel removed from the airplane when it was recovered from the accident site. The pilot’s son, who was present immediately after the accident, reported that fuel was draining from the right-wing tank vent and that he used a pair of pliers to pinch the tube shut and taped it. He also reported that during recovery, the recovery crew had three 30-gallon white plastic drums and that after draining fuel, two of the drums were full and the third was partially full. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9192E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9192E-2022-11-08), registration cancelled 2022-11-08, S/N 401-0906, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-401 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-401](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-401) (registry code 0390204) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 401-0906 - Year built: 1993 - Airframe hours: 4349 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 600 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Collinston Air Service Inc - Registered owner: Collinston Air Service Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special flight (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 21, 2022 - Departed: PVT, Oak Ridge, LA - Airport: n/a - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 22, 2020; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 29,114 total, 8,500 in this make and model, 29,114 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: KMLU, 16 nm away - METAR: KMLU 262053Z 12007KT 080V150 10SM CLR 22/03 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP181 T02220033 58037 ## 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 20220326003879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220326003879A), Mar 26, 2022: Air Tractor Inc AT-401, Rayville, LA, Substantial damage. The airman was performing an aerial application when on his last pass the aircraft engine started spiting and sputtering. The airman exited the field and… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104851. 8.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16100094&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation with pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16311736&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20with%20pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation with pilot's son (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16285789&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20with%20son-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 8 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16100188&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photos-Rel.pdf - Aircraft examination notes (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16285406&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20examination%20notes-Rel.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. --- 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.