On June 14, 1985, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N23692) was involved in an aviation accident near Brownsville, TX. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural aircraft was destroyed after failing to recover from an aerial application maneuver. The pilot reported unresponsive elevator controls. Post-accident examination revealed a missing AN-410 bolt between the elevator torque tube and elevator horns.
Accident Sequence
The accident involved an agricultural aircraft that was destroyed during an aerial application flight. After completing the initial swath run over a field, the aircraft executed a turn to return for a subsequent pass. During the attempt to level the aircraft, the pilot experienced a complete lack of response from the elevator controls. As a result, the aircraft did not recover from the maneuver and was destroyed upon impact.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that after making the turn to realign with the field, he tried to level the aircraft but received no response from the elevator controls. No further details regarding the pilot’s actions or the flight conditions were provided.
Examination Findings
A post-accident examination conducted by the aircraft operator revealed that an AN-410 bolt was missing from the assembly connecting the elevator torque tube to the elevator horns. The bolt and its corresponding lock nut were not found within the wreckage. The absence of this hardware effectively rendered the elevator control system inoperative, preventing the pilot from leveling the aircraft.