Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Pavo, Georgia, February 18, 1991
On February 18, 1991 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N8770S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pavo, Georgia. 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 FAILURE OF THE NO. 2 EXHAUST VALVE AND CYLINDER HEAD, WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE COLLISION WITH A ROAD SIGN DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1991 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pavo, Georgia · 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
- N8770S · no longer on the register · serial AT-301-188
- 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 NO. 2 EXHAUST VALVE FAILED WHILE THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING DURING A SPRAYING OPERATION. HE COMPLETED AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH A ROAD SIGN DURING THE ROLL OUT. REPORTEDLY, THE ENGINE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1100 HOURS OUT OF THE LAST OVERHAUL; THE ENGINE'S TOTAL TIME WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MODE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Farming, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4J5 Quitman GA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:53 pm from VLD, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N8770S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.