Air Tractor AT401 accident near Waterloo, Iowa, August 4, 2009
On August 4, 2009 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT401, registered N60747, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Waterloo, Iowa. 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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2009 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Waterloo, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT401 B
- Registration
- N60747 · no longer on the register · serial 401B-1000
- 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 had completed his first spray pass of the flight and was maneuvering for another pass when the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted a restart; however, it was unsuccessful. He elected to perform a forced landing to a corn field. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. Examination of the airframe, disassembly of the engine, and functional testing of the engine components showed no anomalies that precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power 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 maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,675 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 25,322 as pilot in command; 2,572 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 7,860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Walter M601E-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dakota Executive Flight, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: OLZ Oelwein IA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: OLZ Oelwein IA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N60747 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.