Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Brawley, California, February 2, 2000
On February 2, 2000 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N23043, was destroyed in an accident near Brawley, California (Pvt Dirt Strip airport). 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
Failure of the engine due to improper installation of the intake and exhaust push rods (components were switched) by unknown maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 2000 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brawley, California · Pvt Dirt Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N23043 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0352
- 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 was spraying sulfur on a carrot field when he lost engine power and made a forced landing in an alfalfa field, coming to rest inverted. The pilot had noted an increase in oil consumption the day of the accident. A witness observed two puffs of black smoke emanate from the airplane prior to making the forced landing. During the engine inspection it was noted that the number 5 exhaust rocker arm was found broken. Further disassembly of the number 5 cylinder revealed that the exhaust push rod was bent; due to the appearance and length it was determined that it was the intake push rod. When the exhaust push rod and the intake push rod were placed side-by-side, the intake push rod was the longer of the two and the one that was bent. Maintenance personnel stated that the only way an intake push rod could be installed in the exhaust side of the cylinder was to loosen the cylinder and pull it away from the case to allow for an increased distance between the rocker arm and lifter. When the cylinder was re-torqued, with the push rods in a switched configuration, the intake push rod would bend in the exhaust housing due to its length. After replacement of the pushrods and broken rocker arm, an engine run was conducted with no anomalies noted. Review of the engine logbook revealed that a major overhaul had been conducted on the engine approximately 3 months prior to the accident. Records indicated a mechanic and inspector conducted an inspection of the cylinders and associated components; the engine was test run with no discrepancies and then inspected by a different mechanic and inspector and signed off by all four individuals as being in airworthy condition and returned to service. A review of the engine logbooks also revealed that maintenance had been performed on the airplane since the overhaul, but not in the area of the number 5 cylinder.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,693 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 10, 2000; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W AN1-R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from IPL, 14 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.