Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Altus, Oklahoma, September 14, 2002
On September 14, 2002 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N23736, was substantially damaged in an accident near Altus, Oklahoma. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with electrical wires while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2002 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Altus, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N23736 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0427
- 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 pilot was spraying malathion to a field and was attempting to fly the airplane between electrical wires when the vertical stabilizer contacted the electrical wires. A section of the vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the airplane. During the ensuing forced landing to a wheat field the airplane cartwheeled and came to rest inverted.
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: 14,000 hours in all; 11,000 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 125 in the last 30 days; 13,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2002; 400 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F09 Olustee OK at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HBR, 25 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.