Air Tractor AT-401 accident near Wabbaseka, Arkansas, August 26, 1989
On August 26, 1989, a Air Tractor AT-401, registered N10103, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wabbaseka, Arkansas (Jerry'S Pvt 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TALL VEGETATION (GRASS). THE TALL VEGETATION & HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1989
- Place
- Wabbaseka, Arkansas · Jerry'S Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Registration
- N10103 · no longer on the register · serial 401-0709
- 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 SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLT, HE BEGAN A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN & THE ACFT SETTLED. THE RIGHT WING AND SPRAY BOOM CONTACTED TALL GRASS. THE ACFT THEN VEERED INTO A RICE FIELD WHERE IT STRUCK A LEVEE & DAMAGED THE LANDING GEAR. THE PLT BELIEVED THE HIGH TEMP (87 DEG) & RELATIVELY HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE (2000') MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE OCCURRENCE. ALSO, HE RPRTD THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DUMP THE CHEMICAL LOAD.
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: 4,600 hours in all; 364 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 435 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,860 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,700 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N10103 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.