Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Newellton, Louisiana, October 8, 1998
On October 8, 1998 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N4531M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newellton, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an inadvertent entry into adverse weather conditions. A related factor was the fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1998 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Newellton, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Registration
- N4531M · no longer on the register · serial 401-0764
- 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 agricultural airplane, flown by the non-instrument rated commercial pilot, descended into a lake following a loss of control during an inadvertent entry into adverse weather conditions. A 'very dense' fog bank extending from the ground to 300 to 400 feet agl moved rapidly into the area. The National Weather Service reported that throughout northeastern Louisiana, the weather conditions were: winds calm to 3 knots from the north, 1/4 statute mile visibility in fog, ceiling of 100 feet, and a temperature dewpoint spread of 2 degrees Celsius. The pilot had accumulated over 20,000 hours of aerial application flying including over 4,000 hours in the accident aircraft. The aircraft was not equipped for flight into instrument meteorological conditions. No pre-impact anomalies were found with the airframe or 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: 21,112 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9M2 at 1:15 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:14 pm from NTZ, 20 miles away
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.