Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Gould, Arkansas, April 21, 2000
On April 21, 2000 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N8699S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gould, Arkansas (Rogers Flying 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
The stall/mush encountered by the pilot. A factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2000 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gould, Arkansas · Rogers Flying 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-301
- Registration
- N8699S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff to the south, the agricultural airplane could not maintain altitude, and it touched down 300 yards from the departure end of the runway. The aircraft bounced and traveled 100 yards before touching down again. The aircraft bounced again and traveled another 50 yards before touching down for the third time. The aircraft continued to roll about 100 yards before becoming airborne. The aircraft struck power lines, impacted the ground, and came to rest upright facing west. The pilot reported that after the second bounce, he began to dump the chemical from the hopper. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that there was 'nothing wrong' with the engine, and that the crosswind was the problem. The pilot further reported that the wind was from 280 degrees at 15 knots. Ten minutes prior to the accident, the wind at the nearest weather reporting point, located 22 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, was from 330 degrees at 9 knots.
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: 632 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 608 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,193 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2000; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from PBF, 22 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.