Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, August 6, 2002
On August 6, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3164E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (President'S Island airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to make a precautionary landing to an unsuitable sod airstrip that resulted in a ground loop. A factor was tall vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · President'S Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N3164E · no longer on the register · serial 301-0533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he experienced a rough running engine and elected to make a precautionary landing to a grass strip. He stated that he could not tell the grass on the runway was tall. On landing roll, the pilot lost directional control and ground looped as the airplane collided with the six-foot tall grass. The main landing gear was spread, the tail wheel separated, and both wings collided with the ground. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a pre-crash mechanical failure or malfunction.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 17,700 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 70 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2002; 195 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M04 Covington TN at 12:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Presidents Is TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 360, 2,000 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MEM, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.