Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Circle, Montana, August 7, 2022
On August 7, 2022 at about 2:49 pm local time, a 1980 Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N36542, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Circle, Montana. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2022 · about 2:49 pm local time
- Place
- Circle, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-301, built 1980 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N36542 · registry record · serial 301-0310
- 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 reported that, following an aerial application on field, he was returning to a private [air]strip, when the engine began to run rough and lost power at an altitude of about 100 ft above ground level. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a wheat field, however, the airplane impacted terrain about 75 ft short of the field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that carburetor ice “was not even considered at the time of power loss” and that the conditions favorable to carburetor ice were not taken into account. Carburetor heat was not used. Weather conditions reported at the time of the accident were conducive for serious carburetor icing at cruise power.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Fuel related during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,101 hours in all; 4,667 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 8,101 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 21, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,421 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 2021; 899 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Harris Spraying INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from KGDV, 30 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGDV 071456Z AUTO 15003KT FEW010 OVC044 14/12 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP213 T01440122 51008 PWINO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR22LA293.