Air Tractor INC AT-400A accident near Lamoni, Iowa, August 3, 2025
On August 3, 2025 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1982 Air Tractor INC AT-400A, registered N3157B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Lamoni, Iowa (Lamoni Municipal airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) 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 airplane control during an aborted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2025 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lamoni, Iowa · Lamoni Municipal · 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-400A NO SERIES, built 1982 · all AT-400As on the register
- Registration
- N3157B · registry record · serial 400A-0449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after loading the airplane with fuel and product, he taxied the full length of the runway and began the takeoff roll. After takeoff, he flew the airplane above the runway in ground effect; however, the airplane settled back to the runway. The pilot stated that he was uncomfortable continuing the takeoff, so he aborted the takeoff by applying brakes and reducing engine power. To avoid nosing the airplane over and locking the tailwheel, he abruptly pulled back on the control stick. The airplane ballooned and came back down hard on the runway. The pilot did not want to impact houses and buildings on the side of the runway, so he kept the airplane aligned with the remaining runway. The airplane impacted shrubs and trees and came to rest in a ditch at the end of the runway. The wings and fuselage sustained substantial damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,949 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,421 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,787 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 7,860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-34 (turboprop); 9,803 hours total
- Operator: Black Dog Aviation
The flight
- Runway 36, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KLWD
Weather report (METAR): KLWD 031553Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM FEW036 21/13 A3019
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN25LA303.