Air Tractor AT301 accident near Deatsville, Alabama, September 11, 1993
On September 11, 1993 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT301, registered N36613, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deatsville, Alabama. 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
WAS A CRACK IN NO.3 CYLINDER HEAD WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1993 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Deatsville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT301
- Registration
- N36613 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0344
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT BETWEEN AERIAL APPLICATION SITES, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BACKFIRED THREE TIMES AND THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING; DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE. DURING THE AIRCRAFT EXAMINATION, AN ENGINE RUN WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING INSTALLED AIRFRAME COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS, BUT FULL POWER WAS NOT DEVELOPED. THE SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HEAD BETWEEN THE SPARK PLUGS. ACCORDING TO AN ENGINE OVERHAUL FACILITY, THESE TYPE CRACKS ARE COMMON IN THE OLD RADIAL TYPE ENGINES.
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: 12,000 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1993; 410 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from MGM, 330 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.