Air Tractor AT-401B accident near Bainbridge, Georgia, September 4, 2004
On September 4, 2004, a Air Tractor AT-401B, registered N3047A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bainbridge, Georgia (Private Airpstrip airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an abrupt maneuver which resulted in a stall and collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2004
- Place
- Bainbridge, Georgia · Private Airpstrip · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-401B
- Registration
- N3047A · no longer on the register · serial 401B1034
- 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 was returning from his last aerial application for the day. A witness saw the airplane flying north around 800 feet. Witnesses then saw the airplane descend approximately to 500 feet. Witnesses state that the airplane pitched 45-degrees nose up and then began to roll to the left until the airplane was fully inverted. From the inverted attitude, the nose of the airplane went down into a 90-degree angle, and collided with the ground. Examination of the accident site revealed the airplane and all of its components together in the middle of a cotton field. The airplane's propeller and engine were buried into the ground in a 75-degree angle. The fuselage was crushed inward. The tail was separated from the empennage. The right horizontal stabilizer and vertical stabilizers were still attached to the tail. The left stabilizer was detached from the tail. The flaps were found in the "up" position. There were no fractured bolts found. There was flight control continuity throughout the airplane.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,004.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 7,860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: East River Flying Service LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Bainbridge GA at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KMAI, 30 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.