Air Tractor INC AT-401 accident near Rayville, Louisiana, March 26, 2022
On March 26, 2022 at about 9:14 pm local time, a 1993 Air Tractor INC AT-401, registered N9192E, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Rayville, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for a reason that could not be determined based on available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2022 · about 9:14 pm local time
- Place
- Rayville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-401, built 1993 · all AT-401s on the register
- Registration
- N9192E · no longer on the register · serial 401-0906
- 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 reported that during an agricultural spray pass the engine began to run abnormally. As he climbed over powerlines and trees, he looked for a place to land. The engine subsequently stopped producing any power. During the event, the engine started and stopped producing power two or three times. After touching down in a field, the airplane went over an embankment, the right wing struck an irrigation unit, and the airplane ultimately nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The recovery crew reported that there was only a trace of fuel recovered from the airplane. However, the pilot’s son refuted this information, stating that fuel was draining from the airplane’s right fuel tank vent immediately after the accident and that the recovery crew drained more than 60 gallons of fuel from the airplane when it was recovered. Postaccident examination of the airplane, including the engine and airframe fuel system, revealed no anomalies. Based on the available information, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be 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 (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 29,114 hours in all; 8,500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 29,114 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 22, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,349 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 10,822 hours total
- Operator: Collinston Air Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Oak Ridge LA at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KMLU, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMLU 262053Z 12007KT 080V150 10SM CLR 22/03 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP181 T02220033 58037
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2023. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation with Pilot's Son | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Aircraft Examination Notes | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22LA157.