Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Smithville, Georgia, July 2, 1994
On July 2, 1994 at about 12:05 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3649B, was destroyed in an accident near Smithville, 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
THE FAILURE OF # 2 CYLINDER HEAD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1994 · about 12:05 pm local time
- Place
- Smithville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N3649B · no longer on the register · serial 301-0236
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD STARTED HIS THIRD SWATH RUN WHEN THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER FAILED. OIL WAS SPRAYED ON THE WINDSHIELD AND PREVENTED THE PILOT FROM HAVING FORWARD VISION. THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA AND ESTABLISHED AN APPROACH. BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN PAST THE INTENDED TOUCH DOWN POINT, AND ROLLED INTO A STAND OF TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE CONFIRMED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER HEAD HAD FAILED. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC WHO RECOVERED THE AIRPLANE, THE CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS TYPICAL OF MOST HEAD FAILURES HE HAD SEEN ON OTHER R-1340 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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,431 hours in all; 1,980 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 8,366 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,114 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1994; 258 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:48 pm from ALB, 15 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.