Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Lazbuddie, Texas, August 22, 1994
On August 22, 1994 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4360S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lazbuddie, 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 PREMATURE LIFTOFF AND THE RESULTANT STALL DURING TAKEOFF. A FACTOR WAS THE DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1994 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lazbuddie, 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
- N4360S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED THE AIRSTRIP EARLIER THAT DAY WITH THE SAME LOAD. ON THIS FLIGHT THE TEMPERATURE WAS UP TO 93 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT WITH A CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE OF 6,500 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED THE WIND WAS GUSTY AND ALMOST A DIRECT CROSSWIND. ON TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THEN SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT THEN ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BY SHUTTING THE ENGINE DOWN. THE AIRPLANE HIT A FENCE AND CAME TO REST INVERTED IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 301 in this make and model; 213 in the last 90 days; 112 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 449 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.