Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Jacksonville, Arkansas, August 27, 1990
On August 27, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N7318C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNKNOWN CAUSES. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, 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-401
- Registration
- N7318C · no longer on the register · serial 401-0680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAY TAKEOFF WITH A FULL TANK OF CHEMICALS THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT CONTINUE ITS INITIAL CLIMB SO THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE LANDING GEAR SANK INTO THE CULTIVATED FIELD AND NOSED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION. NO ANOMALIES COULD BE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN.
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: 5,156 hours in all; 316 in this make and model; 381 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 5,156 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,575 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1990; 453 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,625 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from TXK, 126 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.
Other NTSB records under N7318C 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.