Air Tractor AT-301A accident near Garwood, Texas, June 19, 2008
On June 19, 2008 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301A, registered N3166H, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Garwood, Texas (Anf Air Service 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 loss of engine power due to the total failure of the number 2 cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2008 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Garwood, Texas · Anf Air Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301A
- Registration
- N3166H · no longer on the register · serial 301-0549
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was taking off from a private airstrip with a full load of fertilizer when he "lost the number 2 cylinder." Due to the loss of engine power, during the ensuing forced landing the pilot was unable to keep the airplane from striking a levy. Both main landing gears, hopper, gate box, fertilizer spreader, and tailwheel assembly were torn off. The left wing tip was bent, and the engine mount was broken. An examination of the airplane revealed a fractured number 2 cylinder head. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No other anomalies were found.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wall/barricade › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 28,141 hours in all; 5,209 in this make and model; 27,801 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,455 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2008; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Garwood TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,640 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from HOU, 44 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N3166H 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.