Air Tractor AT301 accident near Atmore, Alabama, April 22, 1987
On April 22, 1987 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT301, registered N4346S, suffered minor damage in an accident near Atmore, Alabama (Parkers Flying Service 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1987 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Atmore, Alabama · Parkers Flying Service
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT301
- Registration
- N4346S · no longer on the register · serial 126
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TRACTOR MOWING GRASS ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SUNGLARE ON FINAL PREVENTED HIM FROM SEEING THE VEHICLE ON THE RUNWAY. THE TRACTOR'S OPERATOR APPARENTLY DID NOT HEAR THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE HE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE RUNWAY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,600 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from MOB, 33 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.