Air Tractor AT301 accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi, July 17, 1987
On July 17, 1987 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT301, registered N2321V, was destroyed in an accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi. 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 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
- July 17, 1987 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rolling Fork, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT301
- Registration
- N2321V · no longer on the register · serial 3010368
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE SWATH RUN, THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG 'BARKED' ONCE OR TWICE JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE TREES. THE ACFT HIT THE TREES, ROLLED INVERTED & BURST INTO FLAMES.HE STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT & SHOULDER HARNESS SAVED HIS LIFE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD ABORTED TWO OTHER TAKE-OFFS EARLIER IN THE DAY DUE TO ENG PROBLEMS. THE PLT & ANOTHER PLT EMPLOYED BY THE FIRM STATED THAT THE OWNER OF THE FIRM KNEW OF THE VARIOUS MECH DEFECTS THAT THE PLTS HAD BROUGHT TO HIS NOTICE, BUT FAILED TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION.
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: 5,400 hours in all; 653 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 7,050 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Nick'S Flying Service,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from JAN, 50 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.
Other NTSB records under N2321V 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.