Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Corning, Arkansas, April 7, 2009
On April 7, 2009 at about 5:06 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N36597, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Corning, Arkansas (Corning Municipal Airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the failure of the number one engine cylinder for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2009 · about 5:06 pm local time
- Place
- Corning, Arkansas · Corning Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-301 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N36597 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0331
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was on departure from initial takeoff when the engine "popped" several times and stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a rice field off the departure end of the runway. The pilot found the number one cylinder head cracked during a postaccident examination of the airplane. Additional examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left aileron and both horizontal stabilizers. Additional examination of the cracked cylinder head could not be accomplished and a cause of the failure was not 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4M9 Corning AR
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.