Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Rome, Mississippi, August 20, 1993
On August 20, 1993 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N3655G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rome, 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1993 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rome, Mississippi · 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
- N3655G · no longer on the register · serial 292
- 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 BEGAN THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT BY STARTING HIS TAKEOFF FROM MIDFIELD, RATHER THAN USING ALL OF THE RUNWAY. MOMENTS AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY JETTISONED HIS LOAD AND MADE A FORCED LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD TO A RICE PADDY. HOWEVER, THE MAIN GEAR AND RIGHT WING TIP COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BANK/LEVY, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED. NO ABNORMALITY OF THE ENGINE WAS FOUND, AND FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL.
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: 15,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 3:44 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from GWO, 37 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 N3655G 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.