Air Tractor AT-402 accident near Sikeston, Missouri, May 5, 1994
On May 5, 1994 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-402, registered N91966, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sikeston, Missouri (Sikeston Memorial 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
a fatigue failure of a compressor blade which resulted in a catostrophic engine failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1994 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sikeston, Missouri · Sikeston Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-402
- Registration
- N91966 · registry record · serial 941
- 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 PILOT REPORTED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED AND THE AIRPLANE PITCHED NOSE DOWN. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE TERRAIN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH 340 GALLONS OF A PROWL HERBICIDE/WATER MIXTURE WHICH SPILLED. INSPECTION REVEALED A FAILURE OF ONE COMPRESSOR BLADE WHICH OCCURRED DUE TO HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE. THIS BLADE FAILURE THEN RESULTED IN FURTHER COMPRESSOR AND TURBINE BLADE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE.
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: 8,750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 59 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 3, 1994; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT-6-15 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 5,502 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from CGI, 21 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 N91966 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.