Air Tractor AT-400 accident near Dumas, Arkansas, August 9, 2013
On August 9, 2013 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-400, registered N36538, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Dumas, Arkansas (Billy Free Memorial Airport). It was a flight test 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 maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2013 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Dumas, Arkansas · Billy Free Memorial Airport · 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
- N36538 · no longer on the register · serial 400-0280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed to conduct a maintenance test flight in the airplane after completion of an annual inspection. The pilot stated that the flight was normal; however, when the tailwheel touched down after landing, the airplane veered to the left and departed the runway. Examination of the tailwheel assembly did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,800 hours in all; 1,445 in this make and model; 18,740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 9, 2013
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: D & M Flying Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: 0M0 Dumas AR at 4:10 pm
- Destination: 0M0 Dumas AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from LLQ, 19 miles away
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 N36538 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.