# Accident 20120409004619A: Air Tractor Inc AT-602, Drew, MS, April 9, 2012 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 9, 2012, 13:30 local time - Place: Drew, MS - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: KYEG - Location: 33.5758° N, 90.5514° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5758&lon=-90.5514&mi=10 - Aircraft: N51037, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N51037-2023-06-26) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Air Tractor AT-602 (registry code 0390309, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 series (registry code 52118, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-66-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602 - Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-60AG - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 10,019 total, 2,310 in this make and model, 144 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12CA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA275) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120409004619A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. N51037 WAS BEING OPERATED BY BOYLE FLYING SERVICE, INC. (KYEG) A 14 CFR PART 137 CERTIFICATE HOLDER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PIC WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 ON 4-9-2012. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD JUST COMPLETED SPRAYING FERTILIZER ON AN ADJACENT FIELD WHEN HE NOTICED THE FUEL FLOW FLUCTUATE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT "HE PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD TO RAISE THE FUEL FLOW AND THAT ONCE THE FUEL FLOW CAME BACK UP HE REACHED TO TIGHTEN THE FRICTION KNOB AND THEN THE ENGINE FAILED." THE LOCATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS AT COORDINATES N33 47 44, W090 37 44 WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 5 NAUTICAL MILES WSW OF DREW, MS. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 165 DEGREES. AIRCRAFT INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 469 FEET WEST OF THE FINAL REST POSITION AND WAS TRAVELLING IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. UPON LANDING AND DURING THE ROLLOUT , THE PILOT SAW WHAT HE THOUGH WAS A STANDPIPE AND ATTEMPTED TO LIFT OFF MOMENTARILY TO CLEAR THE OBSTRUCTION. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN AT COORDINATES N33 47 44, W090 37 46. AIRCRAFT LEFT MAIN GEAR SANK INTO VERY SOFT GROUND ADJACENT TO A DRAIN PIPE AND WAS SHEARED OFF THE FUSELAGE AT COORDINATES N33 47 44, W090 37 45. THE AIRPLANE ROTATED TO THE RIGHT AND ONTO ITS NOSE AND TURNED APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES COMING TO REST FACING THE SOUTH. THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE GROUND AND WAS BENT POSITIVELY AT THE OUTBOARD APPROX 4 FEET. THERE WAS ALSO TEARING OF THE WING SKIN AT THE RIVET JOINT AND CRUMPLING OF THE WING ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THAT BOTH FUEL CAPS WERE SECURED AND THERE WAS NO STREAKING OR VENTING OF FUEL FROM THE CAPS. BOTH TANKS WERE INTACT AND THERE WAS NO FUEL VISIBLE ON THE GROUND OR STAINING AND THERE WAS NO SMELL OF FUEL. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE VISUALLY INSPECTED AND NO FUEL WAS VISIBLE INSIDE. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS SUMPED AND APPROXIMATELY TWO OUNCES OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THAT TANK. THE LEFT TANK WAS SUMPED AND NO FUEL WAS PRESENT. THE HEADER TANK WAS SUMPED AND APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF JET-A WAS PRESENT. THE "PURGE" TANK WAS ALSO SUMPED AND THERE WAS NO FUEL PRESENT THERE. THE DREW, MS WEATHER AT 1353 WAS AS FOLLOWS: TEMPERATURE 75.9º F, DEW POINT 46.9º F, BAROMETER 30.16, VISIBILITY 10 MILES, WIND N AT 5.8 MPH AND CLEAR SKIES. IN A FOLLOW-UP TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON 4-11-2012 HE STATED THAT HE HAD TOPPED THE AIRCRAFT OFF WITH FUEL 9 (FERTILIZER) LOADS EARLIER. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE 10TH FLIGHT ON THAT PARTICULAR LOAD OF FUEL. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT RESET THE FUEL QUANTITY ON THE SHADIN FUEL TOTALIZER AND ONLY USED THE CUMULATIVE TOTAL. HE ESTIMATED, BASED ON THAT DATA, THAT HE HAD BURNED APPROXIMATELY 160 GALLONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT EACH LEG BURNED APPROXIMATELY 11-18 GALLONS OF FUEL AND TOOK ABOUT 10 MINUTES ON AVERAGE. THIS AIRCRAFT HAS A TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY OF 218 GALLONS WITH 212 BEING USABLE. ## 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 ERA12CA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA275), Apr 9, 2012: Air Tractor AT-602 (N51037), Ruleville, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Other reports on N51037 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20210604007019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210604007019A), Jun 4, 2021: Air Tractor Inc AT-602 (N51037), Drew, MS, Substantial damage. Drew, MS: N51037, AT602, crashed for unknown reasons shortly after takeoff in a field located at 33.857278N090.612556W. (Delayed notification) POB: 1,… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.