Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Des Arc, Arkansas, March 30, 1993
On March 30, 1993 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4437S, was destroyed in an accident near Des Arc, 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 LOSS OF OUTSIDE VISUAL REFERENCE AND LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1993 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Des Arc, 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-301
- Registration
- N4437S · registry record · serial 301-0097
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AGRICULTURE SPRAYING OPERATIONS THE WEATHER CONDITIONS BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO HIS PRIVATE AIR STRIP. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT LIGHTNING STRUCK IN CLOSE PROXIMATELY TO THE AIRCRAFT, RESULTING IN PILOT'S LOSS OF OUTSIDE VISUAL REFERENCES. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO GROUND IMPACT. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LEVEL THE WINGS OF THE AIRPLANE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,431 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 5,330 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1992; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°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 N4437S 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.