Air Tractor INC AT-401 accident near Castroville, Texas, August 26, 2010
On August 26, 2010 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-401, registered N4530L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Castroville, Texas. 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 due to the failure of the torque sensor bearing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2010 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Castroville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-401 · all AT-401s on the register
- Registration
- N4530L · no longer on the register · serial 401-0761
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was maneuvering the airplane to reverse direction when the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot leveled the airplane and attempted to restart the engine without success. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted several trees and bushes and was substantially damaged. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the torque sensor bearing failed resulting in the shutdown of the fuel system.
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 (partial) during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › (general) › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 304 hours in all; 1,250 in this make and model; 365 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 3,004 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 2010
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TFE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D'Hanis TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: D'Hanis TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N4530L 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.