Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Garwood, Texas, June 2, 2000
On June 2, 2000, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N8886S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garwood, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power in cruise flight as a result of the failure of the right magneto. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2000
- Place
- Garwood, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N8886S · registry record · serial 301-9227
- 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 commercial pilot had dispensed his 4th load of fertilizer for the day and was returning to the airstrip, when he reported a vibration, followed by a loss of engine power. During the forced landing, another pilot observed the airplane hit a ditch between two rice fields, and then nose over. The integrity of the fuel system was not compromised during the impact sequence. There was no evidence of fuel found at the accident site during an examination the day after the accident. Fuel stains were found on the bottom of the right wing. During an engine test run, the engine ran rough, backfiring, and cutting out momentarily throughout the normal power range. When the engine was run at power, on only the left magneto, the engine maintained 28 inches of manifold pressure at 2,000 RPM; however, it would still cut out from time to time. Removal and examination of the right magneto revealed that the internal brass gear splines were worn and brass particles were scattered within the magneto. Removal, bench testing, and examination of the carburetor revealed that the float movement was rough, the orifice of the float valve was too large, the float was set too low, and the accelerator pump did not work well. The carburetor had been removed, overhauled, reinstalled, and returned to service approximately 3 weeks prior to the accident. The seat belt and shoulder harness were found fastened, and the pilot was wearing his helmet. The curved overturn tube, located in the upper portion of the cockpit, was crushed inward. According to the manufacturer representative, a service bulletin was issued on March 23, 1991, for the installation of a cockpit overturn skid plate as an added safety feature. The skid plate had not been installed in the accident aircraft.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,336 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2000; 187 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N8886S 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.