Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, April 17, 1993
On April 17, 1993 at about 10:53 am local time, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N7316L, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida. 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
FAILURE OF THE NO. 2 CYLINDER IN FATIGUE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE LACK OF SUITALE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1993 · about 10:53 am local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Registration
- N7316L · no longer on the register · serial 401 0675
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AGRICULTURAL FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED THE AIRSTRIP AND WAS EN ROUTE TO SPRAY A FIELD WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, SMOKE, AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE ADEQUATE POWER. HE INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A DRAINAGE DITCH. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE HIT A SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE NO. 2 CYLINDER WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED ACROSS THE DOME FROM SPARKPLUG HOLE TO SPARKPLUG HOLE. NO RECORDS WERE FOUND TO DETERMINE THE SERVICE HISTORY OF THE CYLINDER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,000 hours in all; 143 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1993; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Southeastern Aircraft
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from FPR, 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.