Air Tractor AT301 N36613

Summary

On 11 September 1993 at about 14:15 local time, a Air Tractor AT301 registered N36613 was involved in an accident near Deatsville, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 1993 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Deatsville, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

32.6199, -86.3995

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT301

Registration

N36613

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL93LA157

Nobody was injured.

WAS A CRACK IN NO.3 CYLINDER HEAD WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT BETWEEN AERIAL APPLICATION SITES, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BACKFIRED THREE TIMES AND THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING; DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE. DURING THE AIRCRAFT EXAMINATION, AN ENGINE RUN WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING INSTALLED AIRFRAME COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS, BUT FULL POWER WAS NOT DEVELOPED. THE SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HEAD BETWEEN THE SPARK PLUGS. ACCORDING TO AN ENGINE OVERHAUL FACILITY, THESE TYPE CRACKS ARE COMMON IN THE OLD RADIAL TYPE ENGINES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.