Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Dos Palos, California, August 18, 1993
On August 18, 1993 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N2330V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dos Palos, California (Dos Palos Airport). 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 FAILURE OF THE MASTER ROD WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING. THE IRRIGATION DITCH WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1993 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dos Palos, California · Dos Palos Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N2330V · no longer on the register · serial AT301-0392
- 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 AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE RETURNING TO THE DIRT AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT LANDED IN A CULTIVATED FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH AN IRRIGATION DITCH DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE MASTER ROD FAILED. THE MASTER ROD FAILURE MODE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF DAMAGE IT SUSTAINED.
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: 22,550 hours in all; 12,750 in this make and model; 400 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 22,550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,716 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 16, 1993; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,710 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MCE, 21 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.