Air Tractor AT-301A accident near Vero Beach, Florida, September 21, 1995
On September 21, 1995 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301A, registered N7304C, was destroyed in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH A REQUIRED AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE, RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE AND EMERGENCY LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1995 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301A
- Registration
- N7304C · no longer on the register · serial 301-0597
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT, WHILE DUSTING WITH SULFUR, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED THAT BLEW THE LID OFF OF THE HOPPER, FOLLOWED BY AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE. WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES, CAME TO REST INVERTED, AND A POSTCRASH FIRE ENSUED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE RECORDS REVEALED NO ENTRY THAT AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 48-34-02, REQUIRING 5 FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES (LOCATION OF ENGINE EXHAUST, BONDING OF FUSELAGE, AGITATOR BEARING DESIGN/MAINTENANCE, HOPPER GATE CONSTRUCTION/MATERIAL, AND FIRE RESISTANT LOWER FUSELAGE), HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH.
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: 10,320 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 10,270 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 6, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Indian Rver Flying Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: X52 FL at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from VRB, 10 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.