Air Tractor 301A accident near Foreman, Arkansas, July 30, 1990
On July 30, 1990 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor 301A, registered N31631, was destroyed in an accident near Foreman, 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 PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1990 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Foreman, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 301A
- Registration
- N31631 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0532
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN AN EFFORT TO REALIGN WITH THE FLAGMAN, THE INITIAL NORTHERLY SWATH RUN WAS ABORTED. DURING THE SOUTHEASTERLY TURN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PILOT ADDED POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE LEFT WING FROM DRAGGING IN THE CROPS. THIS RESULTED IN TERRAIN IMPACT, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO CARTWHEEL AND THE ENGINE TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRFRAME.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,438 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 1990; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRIV New Boston TX at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from TXK, 35 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.