Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Statesboro, Georgia, November 9, 1998
On November 9, 1998 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N8770S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesboro, Georgia (Private AG Strip airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS WERE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1998 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Statesboro, Georgia · Private AG Strip · 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 301-0188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was on an approach to land at the staging airstrip when he noticed that the ground crew had positioned another airplane 2000 feet down the runway. The pilot said that his landing airspeed was a little fast, so to assure a safe clearance, he elected to execute a go-around. When the pilot advanced the throttle for the go-around, the engine spit and sputtered, and lost power. As the pilot maneuvered for a forced landing, the left wing collided with a fence post. The airplane subsequently yawed left, slid on the ground, and collided with trees on the departure end of the extended runway center line. The pilot also stated that he did not apply carburetor heat unless temperatures were 70 degrees Fahrenheit or below. During the examination of the engine, the spark plugs were removed from the engine and found to be sooted. A review of the weather data disclosed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor icing.
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
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,930 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,014 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1998; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2J5 at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SAV, 28 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.