Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi, March 6, 1990
On March 6, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N23509, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi. 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 IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE LEFT AILERON DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND AN INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rolling Fork, Mississippi
- 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
- N23509 · no longer on the register · serial 301-0391
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE ACFT ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS. THE BANK CONTINUED UNTIL THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND & CAME TO REST INVERTED. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT AILERON SEPARATED UPWARD IN-FLT. THE THREE BOLTS & SELF LOCKING NUTS USED TO SECURE IT WERE NOT LOCATED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AILERON ATTACH ARMS UNDER THE WING NOR WAS THERE DAMAGE TO THE AILERON'S ATTACH PIONTS. THE AILERON PUSH-PULL ROD WAS EXAMINED & WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED DUE TO OVER LOAD. AN ANNUAL INSPN WAS PERFORMED 5 DAYS EARLIER, BUT THE AILERON WAS NOT REMOVED. THE ACFT LOGBOOK DID NOT CONTAIN AN ENTRY INDICATING THAT THE AILERON WAS REMOVED.
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: 4,336 hours in all; 2,113 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 4,282 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,851 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nicks Flying Service, INC.
The flight
- Destination: 2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from GWO, 51 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.