Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Grand Coteau, Louisiana, August 9, 2001
On August 9, 2001 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N10140, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Coteau, Louisiana. 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 loss of engine power while maneuvering, which resulted from a fractured #4 cylinder head at the exhaust valve rocker arm boss. 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
- August 9, 2001 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Coteau, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Registration
- N10140 · no longer on the register · serial 401-0732
- 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 agricultural airplane had completed a spray pass from south to north, and during a turn around maneuver, the engine lost power. The pilot emptied the airplane's load and initiated a forced landing to a dirt road; however, the aircraft was unable to reach the road. The airplane touched down in a sweet potato field perpendicular to the rows with its right wing first. Subsequently, as the airplane touched down, its main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest upright. An examination of the engine revealed that the #4 cylinder head had fractured at the exhaust valve rocker arm boss. A review of the maintenance records revealed that on August 4, 2001 (4.4 hours prior to the accident), the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 engine's cylinder heads were inspected for cracking in accordance with Airworthiness Directive 99-11-02. No cylinder head cracking was noted.
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: 2,600 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 7, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,280.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 2001; 4.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Arnaudville LA at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.
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.