Air Tractor AT401 accident near Ruleville, Mississippi, August 21, 1998
On August 21, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT401, registered N1013Z, was destroyed in an accident near Ruleville, Mississippi (Cane Lake Aero airport). 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
A fire of undetermined origin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ruleville, Mississippi · Cane Lake Aero · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT401
- Registration
- N1013Z · registry record · serial 401-0178
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, the engine backfired. The pilot smelled fuel, and observed a low fuel light. He aborted the takeoff and started an emergency shutdown. He realized the airplane was on fire and exited the airplane. The airplane was destroyed by fire. The source of the fire was not determined.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 9,362 as pilot in command; 956 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,159 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1998; 316 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 6:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from GWO, 30 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.