Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Cotton Plant, Arkansas, July 7, 1992
On July 7, 1992 at about 11:00 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3650N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cotton Plant, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. 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
- July 7, 1992 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Cotton Plant, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N3650N · no longer on the register · serial 301-0249
- 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 CRUISE FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE LOST TOTAL ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A SOFT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED A FAILED MASTER ROD IN THE ENGINE.
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: 20,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 19,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1992; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southern Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 10:50 am
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 75°F (24°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.