N8837S – Air Tractor AT-301 – 1996-07-28 NTSB Accident Report

On July 28, 1996, a Air Tractor AT-301 (N8837S) was involved in an accident near Liberal, KS. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft was destroyed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot did not maintain aircraft control. A factor was a low altitude flight maneuver was performed.

On July 27, 1996, at 1920 central daylight time (cdt), an Air Tractor AT-301, N8837S, owned and operated by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a collision with terrain while conducting aerial spraying. The pilot reported serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The flight departed Liberal, Kansas, at 1845 cdt.

According to the pilot's written statement, after spraying a field, the pilot made a 270 degree right turn to spray the last area of the field. The pilot stated, "When I reentered the field, I must have flown back through my prop wash causing me to lose control of the aircraft, causing me to hit the ground at a vertical angle."

This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI96LA258. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8837S.