Air Tractor INC AT-401 accident near Jamestown, North Dakota, August 3, 2023
On August 3, 2023 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1994 Air Tractor INC AT-401, registered N6015W, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Jamestown, North Dakota (Central Ag Spraying airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed after liftoff, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2023 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jamestown, North Dakota · Central Ag Spraying · 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, built 1994 · all AT-401s on the register
- Registration
- N6015W · no longer on the register · serial 401-0947
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to ferry the airplane that the pilot had never flown. During takeoff roll on the narrow (10 ft wide) runway, the pilot advanced the throttle slowly, which resulted in the airplane’s slow acceleration. As the end of the runway approached, the pilot selected full throttle and the airplane lifted off the ground at a slow airspeed. As the airplane climbed out of ground effect, the pilot did not increase airspeed adequately due, in part, to his concern of power lines off the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently entered an aerodynamic stall and impacted terrain, which substantially damaged the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot likely did not maintain proper airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. The pilot attributed his lack of familiarity with the airplane and the narrow runway as factors to the accident.
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 in flight during initial climb defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 754 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 597 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 9,170 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Walter M601E-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRI Jamestown ND at 4:00 pm
- Destination: OQW Maquoketa IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,600 ft by 10 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from KJMS, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KJMS 031356Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR 24/20 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP166 T02440200
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.
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 CEN23LA347.