Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Hawkinsville, Georgia, July 12, 1991
On July 12, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N31691, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawkinsville, Georgia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS: THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN AT THE FORCED LANDING SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hawkinsville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N31691 · registry record · serial 301-0585
- 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 AG PILOT WAS COMPLETING HIS LAST SPRAY PASS WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. HE PULLED UP TO SHUT OFF THE SPRAY PUMP, AND THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT. HE ATTEMPTED TO FORCE LAND THE AIRPLANE ON A DIRT FARM ROAD, HOWEVER UPON TOUCHDOWN HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE ROUGH SURFACE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN FAA INSPECTOR VISITED THE CRASH SITE AND EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD, AND NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION COULD BE FOUND. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND SUCCESSFULLY RAN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE 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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 17,267 hours in all; 4,239 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 129 in the last 30 days; 17,267 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,412 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 13, 1991; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,710 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Hawkinsville GA at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from ABY, 43 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.