Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Rio Hondo, Texas, June 27, 1989
On June 27, 1989 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4448S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Hondo, 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
IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1989 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Hondo, 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
- N4448S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0078
- 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 PLT RPRTD THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THERE WAS A LOSS OF LIFT THAT RESULTED IN THE LEFT WING DIPPING & CONTACTING THE GROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ROLLED & FLIPPED OVER. THE PLT BELIEVED THE ACFT HAD ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR. HE NOTED THAT A THUNDERSTORM WAS BUILDING IN THE VICINITY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 450 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,746 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1989; 408 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 175° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N4448S 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.