Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Malta, Illinois, July 26, 2002
On July 26, 2002 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N2326S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Malta, Illinois (Hendrickson Flying Service airport). 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 probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion, due to a failure to properly compute initial fuel quantity and/or fuel consumption.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2002 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Malta, Illinois · Hendrickson Flying Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N2326S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 26, 2002, at approximately 0930 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301, N2326S, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The airplane was engaged in agricultural application work under 14 CFR Part 137 at the time of the accident. The airplane departed at 0800 cdt from runway 18 (2,800 feet x 80 feet, turf) at the Hendrickson Flying Service Airport (IL93), Creston, Illinois. Hendrickson is a private airport located ten (10) miles west of Dekalb Taylor Municipal Airport (DKB). The accident occurred approximately two (2) miles northeast of Hendrickson Flying Service Airport. The flight intended to return to Hendrickson following completion of its agricultural application work. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
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
- Flight time: 2,362 hours in all; 338 in this make and model; 238 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days; 2,227 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,960.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2002; 83.2 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340-S3N1G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hendrickson Flying Service Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: IL93 Creston IL at 8:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,800 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 2:24 pm from DKB, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N2326S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.