Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Glendo, Wyoming, June 27, 2003
On June 27, 2003 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4406S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendo, Wyoming. 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's failure to maintain clearance from the trees. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude, the high density altitude, and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2003 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Glendo, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N4406S · no longer on the register · serial AT3010066
- 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 said he was performing aerial application at low altitude. The pilot reported that the airplane failed to respond as expected during his pull-up and turn. The pilot said he chose to perform an emergency landing to avoid rising terrain. The airplane struck trees and the terrain causing substantial damage to the right wing, undercarriage, and fuselage. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. Approximately 200 gallons of chemical was recovered from the airplane's hopper. Density altitude at the time of the accident was 6,506 feet mean sea level.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,880 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,880 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,042 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 2002; 191 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAN Wheatland WY at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from DGW, 35 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.