Air Tractor AT-301 N23672

Summary

On 19 June 2001 at about 01:25 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N23672 was involved in an accident near Finley, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 June 2001 at 01:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Finley, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

H&H Flying Services Airstrip

Coordinates

35.9797, -89.5797

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N23672

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Finley → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MIA01LA166

1 person died.

The failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft altitude control while on downwind leg of the landing pattern, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with the terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses stated that the agricultural sprayer aircraft approached the landing strip from the north, turned westward, and then southward , apparently entering the landing pattern. At about the midfield position at about 350 feet agl, on a downwind leg, the aircraft pitched up an additional 200 to 300 feet with no increase of power, although the engine sounded steady and normal. At the top of the climb, the aircraft went into a bank, the nose dropped through vertically toward the ground, and the aircraft impacted the terrain in a steep diving attitude. FAA inspectors reported the engine, it's controls, and all components appeared operational, precrash. Flight control continuity could only be confirmed from each control surface to a point 3 feet behind the cockpit because of impact damage. No part of the airframe was missing at the crash site. Eradication Foundation reports revealed the aircraft and pilot flew 6 trips for a total of 7.6 hours, applying 183 gallons of malathion on 2131 acres prior to the accident. Autopsy and toxicological findings revealed nothing causal.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.