Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Plain Dealing, Louisiana, March 13, 2004
On March 13, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4359S, was destroyed in an accident near Plain Dealing, 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
A loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. 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
- March 13, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Plain Dealing, 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-301
- Registration
- N4359S · no longer on the register · serial 3010039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 8,500-hour pilot, initiated his climb after takeoff and the R-1340 radial engine "coughed" and lost power. The pilot stated that the engine regained power but it "was not enough to gain any altitude." Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain and came to rest upright and a post-impact fire ensued. The reason for the loss of power was not determined.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 15, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 2003
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Plain Dealing LA at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from LLQ
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 N4359S 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.