# NTSB FTW81FRG58: Snow AT-301, N4409S, San Benito, TX, August 8, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: August 8, 1981
- Place: San Benito, TX · SAN BENITO, TX
- Location: 26.1294° N, 97.6440° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Benito, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1294&lon=-97.6440&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 23, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 125104
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW81FRG58
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW81FRG58

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1765   81/8/8    SAN BENITO,TX       SNOW AT-301         CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 29, 4015
        TIME - 0915                    N4409S              PX-  0  0  0  ASSOC CROP CTL ACTIVITY   TOTAL HOURS, 700 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - FARMERS CO-OP STP
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SAN BENITO,TX               LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - ROUGH/UNEVEN
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
         SPECIAL DATA
          TOTAL HOURS IN CROP CONTROL - 3500                       KIND OF OPERATION - DEFOLIATION (LIQUID)
          KIND OF CROP - COTTON                                    TYPE OF CHEMICAL USED - LIQUID CHEMICAL-NONTOXIC
          PILOT' S SEAT BELT -UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                 GLOVES - NOT USED
          GOGGLES - NOT USED                                       CRASH HELMET - AVAILABLE USED
          COCKPIT CRASHPAD - NOT INSTALLED                         CRASH BAR - INSTALLED
          TANK/HOPPER-LOCATION - FORWARD OF PILOT                  TERRAIN-TYPE -LEVEL,FLAT
          ELEVATION-AREA BEING TREATED-FEET -  33                  SWATH RUN-HOW FLOWN - WIND CALM
        REMARKS- ACFT LND'D IN DRY RIVER BED TO AVOID HOUSE.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4409S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4409S-1994-07-15), registration cancelled 1994-07-15, S/N 3010069 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNOW AT-301
- Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (registry code 0390103) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Farmers Co-Op Stp

## 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 19810808048069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810808048069A), Aug 8, 1981: Airtrc AT301, San Benito, TX, Substantial damage. Engine quit in traffic pattern. Pilot unable to reach runway so made landing in dry creekbed.

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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