# Accident 19960315004319A: Airtrc AT502, Texarkana, AR, March 15, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 15, 1996, 09:50 local time
- Place: Texarkana, AR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 33.4418° N, 94.0377° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Texarkana, AR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4418&lon=-94.0377&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4540C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4540C-2022-11-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502 (registry code 0390303, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT502
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW96LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA148) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960315004319A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

POWER FAILURE, NOT ENOUGH FIELD TO LAND. COULDN'T MAKE IT OVER TREES AT END. OPTED FOR SAFEST SPOT IN TREES. (-23) ON MARCH 15, 1996, AT 0950 CST, AN AIR TRACTOR 502, OPERATED BY GARLAND AVIATION RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING ABOUT 8 MILES NORTH OF TEXARKANA, AR. WHILE MAKING A 180 DEGREE TURN-AROUND AFTER COMPLETING AN APPLICATION RUN, THE ENGINE QUIT. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES AT END OF THE FIELD. ENGINE TEAR-DOWN INSPECTION REVEALED NO REASON OR EVIDENCE FOR A PREMATURE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FUEL WAS FOUND IN ALL FUEL LINES AND CONTROLS. MAIN FUEL FILTER CONTAINED A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF FOREIGN SUBSTANCE, BELIEVED TO BE MICROBIAL GROWTH. PILOT REPORTED THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATED LEFT FUEL TANK AT ONE-FOURTH FULL AND RIGHT TANK AT ONE-EIGHTH FULL WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW96LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA148), Mar 15, 1996: Air Tractor AT-502 (N4540C), Texarkana, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

## Other reports on N4540C (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20210109004429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210109004429A), Jan 9, 2021: Air Tractor Inc AT-502 (N4540C), Cushing, OK, Substantial damage. The pilot taxied out to the end of a private strip and noticed the ground was soft. The pilot decided to keep rolling and conduct a soft field takeoff. When…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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