Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Mission, Texas, July 2, 1990
On July 2, 1990 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3653W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mission, 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE ABOVE THE CROPS HE WAS SPRAYING. A FACTOR WAS THE TREE INDUCED MECHANICAL TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE DESCENDING TURN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1990 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mission, 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
- N3653W · no longer on the register · serial 301-0274
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SPRAYING THE FIELD THE PILOT WAS 'CLEANING UP THE END' AND WAS FLYING ON THE LEE SIDE OF TREES WHEN HE FELT THE LEFT WING DROP. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, EITHER THE LANDING GEAR OR THE LEFT WING CAUGHT IN THE 3 1/2 FOOT TALL GRAIN, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RAISE THE WING. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 165 YARDS AFTER INITAIL TERRAIN IMPACT. THE PILOT FELT THAT HE ENCOUNTERED MECHANICAL TURBULENCE, CAUSING THE INITIAL LOSS OF CONTROL.
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: 13,526 hours in all; 4,065 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 13,372 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 1990; 291 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Putz Aero, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 90°F (32°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.
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.