Air Tractor INC AT-401B accident near Storm Lake, Iowa, September 1, 2021
On September 1, 2021 at about 1:32 pm local time, a 1996 Air Tractor INC AT-401B, registered N5081W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Storm Lake, Iowa (Storm Lake Municipal Airport). 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a landing approach with a tailwind that resulted in a landing overrun and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2021 · about 1:32 pm local time
- Place
- Storm Lake, Iowa · Storm Lake Municipal Airport · 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-401B, built 1996 · all AT-401Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5081W · registry record · serial 401B-1013
- 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 commercial pilot reported that he was attempting to land on dew-covered grass runway following an aerial application flight when the airplane overran the runway and nosed over coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the airplane was landing on runway 31 with wind 110o at 4 knots. The pilot reported that the accident was the result of the airplane being too fast during the final approach with a tailwind and the dew-covered runway.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Flight crew
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,207 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 263 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 1,156 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 16, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,547.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Barts Flying Service INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 am from SLB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Log | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.