Air Tractor AT-400 accident near Hayti, Missouri, August 15, 1995
On August 15, 1995 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-400, registered N2315Z, was destroyed in an accident near Hayti, Missouri. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane. A factor was the reduced power setting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1995 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hayti, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-400
- Registration
- N2315Z · registry record · serial 400-0361
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE WINGS WERE CRUSHED SYMMETRICALLY AT AN ANGLE CORRESPONDING TO A PITCH OF 90 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. THE PROPELLER RPM GAGE WAS TRAPPED AT 1900 RPM AND THE TORQUE GAGE WAS TRAPPED AT ABOUT 600 FOOT POUNDS. DURING A PERSONAL INTERVIEW A PILOT WHO HAD WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT, REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT WOULD TYPICALLY FLY TO A SPRAYING SITE AT 600 TO 700 FEET. HE SAID THE ACCIDENT PILOT WOULD TYPICALLY RETARD THE ENGINE TORQUE TO ABOUT 600 FOOT POUNDS TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED DURING THE DESCENT TO THE SITE AND WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY NEED TO ADD POWER DURING MANEUVERING.
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: 2,237 hours in all; 661 in this make and model; 280 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 1,990 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1995; 164 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Cooter MO at 2:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CGI, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI95LA278.