Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Las Animas, CO
On June 19, 1997, an Air Tractor AT-301 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Las Animas, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 19, 1997
- Place
- Las Animas, CO
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.060°N, 103.220°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08112
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 19, 1997, approximately 0805 mountain daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301, N7308E, registered to the pilot d/b/a 007 Dusting, L.L.C., was destroyed while maneuvering 6 miles northwest of Las Animas, Colorado. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the aerial application flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The flight originated approximately 0730 from La Junta, Colorado. The accident occurred on the 068 degree radial from the Lamar VORTAC at 38.5 miles DME. There were no witnesses to the accident, but several people had observed the airplane moments before. They reported nothing unusual. According to information provided by a friend and business associate, the pilot should have been almost finished spraying a 33 acre corn field with a herbicide called "Lightning," a mixture containing imazethapyr and imazapyr. He had sprayed two fields prior to the accident flight, and was scheduled to spray several more that morning. At 0815, the Bent County Sheriff's Office received a 9-1-1 call, advising that an airplane was down at 1731 Road GG. The sheriff said that while en route, he observed two columns of smoke ascending vertically from the accident site. Upon arrival, he found the cockpit area engulfed in fire. The fire was quickly extinguished by fire department personnel. The sheriff reported the wind was calm. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot's logbook, containing entries from October 6, 1988, to April 12, 1997, was examined. He received his agricultural pilot
Probable cause
in-flight collision with terrain, while maneuvering, for undetermined reason(s).
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Browse: Colorado · Air Tractor aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
