Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Edmore, North Dakota, July 28, 2001
On July 28, 2001 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4361S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edmore, North Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The incorrect installation of the wheel assembly bolts by maintenance personnel resulting in the stripped bolt threads and ultimate failure of the wheel, and directional control not possible by the pilot. A factor was the ditch
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2001 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Edmore, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N4361S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0041
- 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 airplane impacted a ditch and nosed over during takeoff from a road. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right outboard wheel half, right tire, and right tire inner tube had separated from the airframe. No other anomalies were found that could be associated with a pre-impact condition. Three of the right wheel through bolts were recovered from the accident scene. Two of the recovered bolts had stripped threads and a third was fractured in the threaded portion of the bolt. The left wheel was examined and was found intact. Seven of the through bolts that hold the left wheel halves together were found to have been over-torqued. The torque readings were from 125 to 175 inch-pounds on these bolts. The specified torque as printed on the wheel is 90 inch-pounds. The remaining two bolts were found to be stripped. One of the through bolts was found to be a coarse thread bolt. The bolts specified for attaching the wheel halves are AN4 fine thread bolts.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,010 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 360 in the last 90 days; 250 in the last 30 days; 3,010 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 5, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2001; 310 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Edmore ND at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from DVL, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.