Air Tractor AT-400 accident near Louisville, Mississippi, May 13, 1999
On May 13, 1999 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-400, registered N36493, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Mississippi. 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1999 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-400
- Registration
- N36493 · no longer on the register · serial 400-0244
- 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 pilot reported that about three or four minutes after departure, he heard a loud whining and grinding noise from the engine compartment for several seconds. He then heard an abrupt loud noise that resulted in a total loss of engine power. He stated that he looked at the torque gauge as the needle fell to zero, he then traded airspeed for altitude gain and applied full flaps, setting up the aircraft for a forced landing into the trees. An examination of both the fuel line and engine was conducted. The fuel line examination detected that there was no fuel in the fuel line or at the fuel controller, and very little in both main tanks. The engine examination concluded that less than 1 oz. of fuel was found in the engine fuel filter, and less than 12 oz. of fuel was found in the firewall fuel filter. Less than a gallon of fuel was recovered from the fuel system. No fuel spillage was noted at the accident site. The examination of the engine assembly failed to disclose an obvious internal component malfunction or failure.
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: 4,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 6,500 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMS Louisville MS at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 1M2 Belzoni MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from GTR, 33 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 N36493 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.