Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Highmore, South Dakota, April 3, 1998
On April 3, 1998 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N1008T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Highmore, South Dakota (Highmore Municipal 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
the pilot failed to abort the takeoff in a timely manner and could not stop on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1998 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Highmore, South Dakota · Highmore Municipal · 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
- N1008T · no longer on the register · serial 401-0703
- 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 during the takeoff roll he noticed the airplane was not accelerating normally. He reported that he checked the manifold pressure and RPM's, and that the RPM's were low. He checked the propeller control at full forward. The pilot reported that he veered to the right to avoid a highway at the end of the runway. The airplane went through a fence and into a pasture, breaking the left landing gear as it slid to a stop. The airplane was inspected. The engine was started and run to approximately 1,800 RPM and the operation appeared normal. A small amount of water was drained from the right fuel cell.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 12,200 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,199 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1997; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9DO at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Observation at 2:51 pm from PIR, 37 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.