Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Cotton Plant, Arkansas, June 4, 2004
On June 4, 2004 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3166U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cotton Plant, Arkansas. 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 due to fuel exhaustion. 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 4, 2004 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cotton Plant, Arkansas · 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
- N3166U · no longer on the register · serial 301-0551
- 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 300-hour pilot reported that after performing an aerial application of fertilizer on a field for about 4 hours, the "engine started to sputter." The pilot initiated a forced landing to an adjacent field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane revealed both fuel tanks remained intact and contained less then one gallon of fuel.
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: 300 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 13, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cotton Plant AR
- Destination: Cotton Plant AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.