Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Brinson, Georgia, July 7, 2009
On July 7, 2009 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N8587S, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Brinson, Georgia (Decatur County Industrial Air airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2009 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brinson, Georgia · Decatur County Industrial Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-301 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8587S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was progressing with his aerial application training. He was supposed to depart the airport, perform steep turns and flight at minimum controllable airspeed, drop water at a designated spot about 3/4 mile from the airport, and return for landing. The airplane was observed about 5 miles west of the airport, in level flight from north to south. The airplane then made a left U-turn and flew from south to north. The airplane made another left turn, toward the west, and started climbing. The airplane then released water and instantly began a fast spiral straight down to the ground, with the water following. Witnesses heard loud, continuous engine noise throughout the accident sequence and several examinations of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot received his private pilot certificate about 5 weeks prior to the accident and had conducted his previous training in an airplane with less than one-third the horsepower and one-half the weight-carrying capacity as the accident airplane. The pilot had accumulated 2 hours of flight experience in the accident airplane when the accident occurred. Additionally, both airplanes displayed a tendency to pitch up during a water drop maneuver, though the accident airplane displayed this characteristic more severely due to its higher weight. This tendency would require a pilot to aggressively push the flight control stick forward, near the stop, to counteract the force.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 239 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 198 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,004 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 3, 2009; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ag-Flight INC
The flight
- Departed from: BGE Bainbridge GA at 4:50 pm
- Destination: BGE Bainbridge GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 pm from BGE, 5 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.
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.