- Date
- August 21, 1998, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ruleville, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1013ZAir Tractor AT401
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980821021709A
- Case key
- 43765
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
A fire of undetermined origin.
Analysis
During takeoff, the engine backfired. The pilot smelled fuel, and observed a low fuel light. He aborted the takeoff and started an emergency shutdown. He realized the airplane was on fire and exited the airplane. The airplane was destroyed by fire. The source of the fire was not determined.
Factual narrative
On August 21, 1998, about 1330 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-401, N1013Z, registered to Cane Lake Aero Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, experienced a reported engine fire on takeoff. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by fire. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating from Cane Lake Aero, a private airstrip, Ruleville, Mississippi, at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he was on takeoff to the north. The engine started backfiring, he smelled fuel, and observed a low fuel pressure light. He aborted the takeoff and started an emergency shutdown. He realized the airplane was on fire and exited the airplane after it came to a complete stop.
Examination of the aircraft wreckage failed to reveal the source of the fire.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1013Z
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 401-0178
- Airframe hours
- 2,159
- Engine
- P&W, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Cane Lake Aero Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 3, 1998 · 316 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Cane Lake Aero, runway 36, 2,400 × 40 ft, dirt
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 9,500 total · 900 in this make and model · 9,362 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GWO, 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.