Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Hartsburg, Illinois, July 23, 2025
On July 23, 2025 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1982 Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N2371V, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Hartsburg, Illinois (Pvt 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 control of the airplane during takeoff with a tailwind from a wet turf airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2025 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hartsburg, Illinois · Pvt · 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-301, built 1982 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N2371V · no longer on the register · serial 301-0420
- 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 shortly after takeoff for the aerial application flight, the airplane settled back toward the ground and struck the surrounding crop at the departure end of the grass strip. During the accident sequence, the airplane came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot was familiar with the field and assessed that the grass was taller, recent rain made the ground softer, and a tailwind was present. He considered these factors in his fuel and product calculations and took off with a slightly reduced load and a weight of 7,252 pounds at takeoff. However, he stated that the accident could have been prevented if the airplane’s weight was further reduced for the conditions.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,184 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 1,119 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 2, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 2025; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell TPE 331-1-151 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: T&M Aircraft LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15/3, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 am from KAAA, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAAA 231335Z AUTO 16006KT 10SM CLR 28/27 A3006 RMK AO2 T02750274=
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 November 14, 2025. 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 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 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 CEN25LA283.