Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Osceola, Indiana, July 15, 2007
On July 15, 2007 at about 8:03 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3158W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Osceola, Indiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the trees during the aerial application flight. Factors associated with the accident were the trees and the pilot's lack of experience in flying aerial application flights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2007 · about 8:03 pm local time
- Place
- Osceola, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N3158W · registry record · serial 301-0455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED SEPTEMBER 19, 2008." The pilot was spraying a short field that had wooded areas on both the north and south ends of the field when the accident occurred. Data from the global positioning system (GPS) that was onboard the airplane indicated the airplane was heading north prior to entering a right turn to the south just prior to impacting the trees. The initial tree impact was at the edge of a heavily wooded area, adjacent to the field that was being sprayed. The airplane continued into the wooded area contacting trees up to 12 inches in diameter, prior to coming to rest inverted. Clean, freshly cut branches were located along the impact trail. The pilot began flying aerial application flights a couple a weeks prior to the accident.
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: 373 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 7,860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: II74 Wakarusa IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from EKM, 6 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.