Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Anton, Texas, November 7, 2001
On November 7, 2001 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N2316X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anton, Texas. 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 total loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a cracked cylinder, which resulted in a forced landing. A factor was 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
- November 7, 2001 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anton, Texas · 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
- N2316X · registry record · serial 301-0380
- 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 had been applying chemical to a field for 20 minutes when the engine began to slowly lose power. The pilot abandoned the spray flight and initiated a return flight to the base airport. While en route back to the airport, the engine lost total power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane contacted a dirt terrace and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that the #5 cylinder displayed a crack that initiated at one spark plug, continued over the cylinder head, and ended at the second spark plug. The crack went through the entire thickness of the cylinder's casting.
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: 2,686 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 296 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 2,594 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 2001; 257 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brown Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Q00 Littlefield TX at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from LBB, 19 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.
Other NTSB records under N2316X 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.