Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Brownwood, Texas, May 14, 1999
On May 14, 1999 at about 5:09 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N4329S, was destroyed in an accident near Brownwood, Texas (Private Airstrip airport). 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 failure of the pilot-in-command to use the manufacturer's published checklist and extend the flaps prior to takeoff. A factor was the pilot's fatigued physiological condition as a result of extended flight and ground duty hours.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1999 · about 5:09 pm local time
- Place
- Brownwood, Texas · Private Airstrip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N4329S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0009
- 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 stated that during the 3 weeks prior to the accident, he had averaged 15-hour work days. On the day of the accident, the pilot's first flight, which was a ferry flight to the airstrip, commenced at 0600. At 0722, he began the aerial application flights. At 1203, the airplane returned from the 20th application flight and was refueled. During the refueling, the pilot retracted the flaps to 'improve the footing' of the person who was fueling the left main fuel tank. The pilot stated that he did not extend the flaps prior to the 21st takeoff, and he did not use a checklist. The pilot stated that after takeoff the 'airplane wouldn't climb.' The airplane impacted trees during the initial climb after takeoff. The airplane flight manual requires that the flaps be extended 10 degrees prior to takeoff with a full hopper load or from a 'short' runway. The flap actuator jack screw and ball nut assembly were examined, and the ball nut was observed within 1/4 inch of the large gear-box ball bearing on the jack screw. This finding is consistent with the flaps being in the retracted position.
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: 2,120 hours in all; 1,063 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,021 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,096 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1999; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Flying V Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,000 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from MWL, 70 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.