Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Covert, Michigan, June 20, 2003
On June 20, 2003 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3659T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covert, Michigan (South Haven Area Regional 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
Failure of the pilot to verify fuel quantity prior to the accident flight, and fuel exhaustion resulting in a loss of engine power. Contributing factors were the soft, rough, unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2003 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Covert, Michigan · South Haven Area Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N3659T · registry record · serial 301-0329
- 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 was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The terrain was soft and rough, causing the aircraft to nose over prior to coming to a rest. The aircraft was most recently fueled with 100 gallons and consumed approximately 35 gallons/hour during flight. The pilot estimated the total flight time since refueling as 2-1/2 to 3 hours, accumulated over two or three flights. A total of 4 gallons of fuel were recovered from the aircraft after the accident. Unusable fuel was listed at 6 gallons according to the Federal Aviation Administration Type Certificate Data Sheet. No evidence of fuel contamination was present. A post-accident examination of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. The pilot stated that the "most probable cause [of the accident was a] lack of fuel."
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,150 hours in all; 1,675 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 140 in the last 30 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,649.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 2003; 103.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0D1 South Haven MI at 12:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from BEH, 15 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 N3659T 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.