Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Britton, South Dakota, June 23, 2004
On June 23, 2004 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N1013N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Britton, South Dakota. 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 loss of engine power due to a stuck exhaust valve and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. A factor to the accident was the soft terrain condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2004 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Britton, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Registration
- N1013N · registry record · serial 401-0722
- 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 aerial-application airplane impacted soft terrain and nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported the engine began running rough after he completed his spraying and was returning to the departure airport. The pilot stated he eventually had to perform a forced landing into a soft field, during which the airplane nosed over. The engine was inspected and the shaft mount for the number eight cylinder rocker-arm was cracked and separated, consistent with damage caused by a stuck exhaust valve.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,967.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 28, 2004; 94.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTN Britton SD at 2:00 pm
- Destination: BTN Britton SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ABR, 36 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.