Air Tractor 301 accident near Dos Palos, California, January 21, 1982
On January 21, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor 301, registered N8793S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dos Palos, California (Spain-Air Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dos Palos, California · Spain-Air Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 301
- Registration
- N8793S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT DECIDED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR AN 8 FOOT CHAIN-LINK FENCE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT HE PULLED THE DUMP-GATE, CHOPPED THE THROTTLE, AND PUT ON THE BRAKE BUT THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO SOFT DIRT AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED BEFORE IT SLID INTO THE FENCE.
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: 13,600 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,290 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spain-Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Q38 Dos Palos CA at 11:30 am
- Destination: Q38 Dos Palos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 1,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N8793S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.