- Date
- May 19, 1995, 16:53 local (21:53 UTC)
- Place
- Caldwell, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3655ZAir Tractor AT-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950519012149A
- Case key
- 19431
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
The loss of power due to a crack in the #4 cylinder. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and proper touchdown point not possible.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot completed the first swath and initiated a climb to reverse direction. While the airplane was in a nose high attitude at about 200 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. During the forced landing to a wheat field, the aircraft sustained structural damage to the right wing and the empennage. Post accident examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed a crack in the #4 cylinder.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 1995, at 1653 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301, N3655Z, was substantially damaged while maneuvering near Caldwell, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The aircraft was being operated by Lindsey Ag-Air Inc., under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The flight originated from McCollum private airstrip near Colt, Arkansas, at 1625. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight and a flight plan was not filed.
During an interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that he had completed the first swath and initiated a climb to reverse direction. While the airplane was in a nose high attitude at about 200 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a wheat field. During the landing, the aircraft sustained structural damage to the right wing and the empennage.
Examination by an FAA inspector revealed a crack in the #4 cylinder rocker box housing on the exhaust side. See enclosed report from FAA inspector.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3655Z
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0299
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Lindsey Ag-Air Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- PVT · Colt, 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
- 26
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,300 total · 750 in this make and model · 150 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 40 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.