Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Somerville, Tennessee, May 11, 2022
On May 11, 2022 at about 11:57 pm local time, a 1983 Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N31580, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Somerville, Tennessee. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate inspection and maintenance of the engine exhaust system, which resulted in an in-flight fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2022 · about 11:57 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-301, built 1983 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N31580 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0484
- 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 purchased the agricultural airplane the day before the accident. During the engine run up before takeoff to return the airplane to his home airport, the engine popped and backfired during the magneto check. The seller and his helper cleaned the magnetos and replaced a couple of spark plugs, and the airplane returned to pilot’s home airport and operated during several subsequent flights with no anomalies. On the day of the accident, the pilot was performing aerial application when, during the fourth load of the day, his legs started to get warm and he saw a fire on the left side of the engine. The pilot performed an emergency landing and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. When the pilot egressed, the airplane was still burning. The airplane was powered by an air-cooled radial engine. Examination revealed that the fire had initiated just aft of the engine, in the forward lower left portion of the cowling, near one of the segments of the exhaust manifold. The presence of an exhaust leak where that segment of the exhaust manifold was not secured by a clamp was discovered. Areas of exhaust impingement, with associated thermal and fire damage were visible, as well as an area of burn-through, beneath the front of the cockpit floor. Fire-damaged and fire-severed hoses were present, one of which was the oil tank outlet hose, which resulted in an oil-fed fire. Additional examination revealed evidence of gaps and holes in other areas of the exhaust manifold as well as evidence of other leaks. According to the airplane manufacturer’s written guidance, the exhaust system should be checked for cracks and signs of burning every 50 hours. Additionally, regulatory requirements for annual and 100-hour inspections included inspecting exhaust stacks for cracks, defects, and improper attachment. The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed about 7 days before the accident. It is likely that the popping and backfiring the pilot experienced during the engine run-up before the first flight was an indication of an exhaust manifold problem, and given the areas of exhaust staining and impingement observed during postaccident examination, it is likely that the exhaust system had been leaking for some time before the accident.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Inadequate inspection
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 840 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 804 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 26, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,487.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-61 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FYE Sommerville TN at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from KEOD, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEOD 112358Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 29/22 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP180 T02900224 10316 20287 57005=
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 N31580 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA22LA224.