Air Tractor AT-301A accident near Blythe, California, September 22, 1989
On September 22, 1989 at about 1:58 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-301A, registered N3654N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blythe, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO VERIFY THE FUEL SUPPLY PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1989 · about 1:58 am local time
- Place
- Blythe, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301A
- Registration
- N3654N · registry record · serial 0289
- 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 PILOT OF A SPRAY PLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A SPRAY RUN. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED INTO A SOFT FIELD AND WENT OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE GROUND LOADER HAD REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT BETWEEN SPRAY RUNS AS WAS CUSTOMARY. THE PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY VERIFY THE FUEL LOAD IN THE TANKS AND HAD RELIED ON THE FUEL GAUGE WHICH INDICATED A PARTIAL FUEL LOAD IN ONE WING. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURE WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,800 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 160 in the last 30 days; 10,560 as pilot in command; 165 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,246 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1989; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cyr Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Blythe CA at 1:53 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 5 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.