- Date
- December 2, 2010, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gregory, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9145HAir Tractor AT-602
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Fuel contamination
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101202052439A
- Case key
- 77954
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and failure to detect water contaminated fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power during takeoff.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot departed on his third aerial application flight for the day. Shortly after take-off, the engine lost power and the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in a field. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard and received substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot reported that this was the first flight since refueling the airplane. The pilot also added that he did not check the fuel supply, prior to refueling the airplane. An examination of the airplane and refueling tanks, after the accident, revealed water was present in the fuel.
Factual narrative
The pilot departed on this third aerial application flight for the day. Shortly after take-off, the engine lost power and the pilot elected to conduct a forced landing in a field. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard and received substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot reported that this was the first flight since refueling the airplane. The pilot also added that he did not check the fuel supply, prior to refueling the airplane. An examination of the airplane and refueling tanks, after the accident, revealed water was present in the fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9145H
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-602
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 602-0630
- Airframe hours
- 3,564
- Engine
- P&W Canada JT15D 5 SER, 2,900 lbs thrust, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Reynolds Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Reynolds Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 20, 2010
- Departed
- NA · Gregory, AR
- Destination
- NA · Gregory, AR
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- NA · Private
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 15, 2010
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 16,500 total · 6,500 in this make and model · 16,500 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 689 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.