Air Tractor 301A accident near Hunter, Arkansas, June 18, 1996
On June 18, 1996 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor 301A, registered N7319C, was destroyed in an accident near Hunter, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1996 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hunter, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 301A
- Registration
- N7319C · no longer on the register · serial 301-0682
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Several witnesses in the area at the time of the accident reported that they were observing the airplane as it was spraying a field. They stated that they could not hear the engine running as the airplane began descending toward the ground. According to one of the witnesses, the engine was 'trying to get its sound back' prior to the airplane impacting the ground in a right wing low attitude. The pilot stated that he did not recall any part of the accident event. According to the pilot's ground crew, the airplane was refueled (left wing tank only) prior to the flight. The right wing tank was not checked or refueled. According to the operator, each wing fuel tank has a capacity of 60 gallons of usable fuel. The flight commenced at 1100, and was flying approximately 1 hour 15 minutes prior to the accident. Fuel tank integrity was compromised by impact damage. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces, and an engine run could not be performed.
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: 1,200 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.