Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Beaver, Utah, January 15, 2009
On January 15, 2009 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N3170C, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Beaver, Utah. 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
A loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a sheared propeller blade's pitch change link. Contributing to the accident was 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
- January 15, 2009 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Beaver, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-301 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N3170C · no longer on the register · serial 301-0591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering during an aerial application flight, the pilot noted that the engine began to vibrate and lose power. During the forced landing, the airplane nosed over on the snow-covered terrain. The airplane was recovered from the accident site and examined. No internal engine components were found to have malfunctioned. One of the propeller blade's pitch change pins was observed sheared.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller controlling system › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U52 Beaver UT at 3:30 pm
- Destination: U52 Beaver UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.42 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from MLF, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.