Air Tractor 401B accident near Mccanna, North Dakota, July 24, 1999
On July 24, 1999 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor 401B, registered N6006A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccanna, North Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the inadvertent stall by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1999 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mccanna, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 401B
- Registration
- N6006A · no longer on the register · serial 0984
- 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 airplane impacted terrain while spraying a potato field. The pilot reported that the airplane stalled during a right turn.
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: 4,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1998; 300 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W AN2 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT ND at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from GFK, 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.
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.