# NTSB DFW07LA148: Air Tractor 301, N7305E, Lueders, TX, July 3, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 2, 2007, 20:30 local (Jul 3, 2007, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Lueders, TX - Coordinates: 32.836944, -99.593612 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8369&lon=-99.5936&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report July 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 66131 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW07LA148 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66131/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07LA148 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis The 917-hour commercial pilot, with 98-hours in make/model, was performing the turn to reverse direction during an agricultural spraying flight when the tail-wheel equipped airplane stalled and impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. When asked in the NTSB 6120.1 accident form "How could this accident have been prevented?" the pilot responded, "Do not stall heavy aircraft near the ground." The pilot further reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane. ## Factual narrative On July 2, 2007, at approximately 2030 central daylight time, a single-engine Air Tractor 301 agricultural airplane, N7305E, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near Lueders, Texas. The non-instrument rated commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to Agriflite Service, Inc., of Wakarusa, Indiana, and operated by Murphree Flying Service Inc., of Rotan, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial application flight. The flight originated from the Fisher County Airport (56F), near Rotan/Roby, Texas, approximately 1938. The operator reported that when the pilot failed to return as expected, a search for the missing aircraft was initiated. According to a local law enforcement officer, the wreckage was located in an open field approximately 3 miles north-east of Lueders, Texas, about 2330. Ground scars and signatures on the soft ground were consistent with a nose low ground impact. The airplane came to rest in an inverted position and no post impact fire ensued. The pilot reported that during an aerial application flight, while executing the turn to reverse direction "the airplane stalled" from an altitude of 175 feet above the ground and impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. When asked in the NTSB 6120.1 accident form "How could this accident have been prevented?" the pilot responded, "Do not stall heavy aircraft near the ground." The pilot further reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane. The radial engine powered airplane, which was not equipped with an ELT, was reported to have accumulated a total of 7,370 hours. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. The pilot's most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued June 5, 2007, and last flight review was completed on June 26, 2006. The 22-year old pilot reported having accumulated a total of 917 flight hours, with 98 flight hours in the same and model airplane. The nearest weather recording station to the accident site was the Abilene Regional Airport (ABI), near Abilene, Texas, located 30 miles south of the accident site. At 2052, ABI was reporting wind from 090 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, 9,000-foot ceiling, temperature 73 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 69 degrees Fahrenheit, with an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7305E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7305E-2012-10-15), registration cancelled 2012-10-15, S/N 301-0602, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Air Tractor 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: 301-0602 - Airframe hours: 7370 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Murphree Flying Service Inc. - Registered owner: Agriflite Service Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2007 - Departed: 56F, ROTAN/ROBY, TX - Airport: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 22; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2006; seat: center; flight hours: 917 total, 98 in this make and model, 761 as pilot in command, 98 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: ABI, 30 nm away ## 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 20070702012649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070702012649A), Jul 2, 2007: Airtrc AT301, Albany, TX, Destroyed. (-23) On July 2, 2007 at 2030 CDT, N7305E, an air tractor AT-301, owned by neal aircraft, of slaton, Texas and operated by murphree flying service (TNPG5691)… 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.