# NTSB CHI07CA259: Air Tractor AT-502, N9195G, Creston, IA, August 9, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 9, 2007, 12:25 local (17:25 UTC) - Place: Creston, IA - Coordinates: 41.021945, -94.362503 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0219&lon=-94.3625&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 66608 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI07CA259 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66608/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07CA259 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel calculations. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - fuel consumption calculations - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - crop ## Analysis The engine stopped suddenly when the flight was returning from an aerial application flight. The commercial pilot reported that he had finished spraying a field of soybeans and was ferrying the aircraft back to the airport when the "engine totally quit without any forewarning." He reported that he attempted a forced landing to a nearby highway, but the airplane lost too much altitude before reaching the highway and he executed a forced landing to a soybean field. An on scene inspection found that there was no fuel in the left fuel tank. The header fuel tank located between the left and right fuel tanks was found dry. The header tank's quick fuel drain was found crushed, but held open. About 10 gallons of fuel were found in the right fuel tank. No fuel blight was observed on the bean plants at the accident site. The airplane's owner reported that the airplane was fueled prior to the accident flight, and that the left wing was full of fuel. He reported that the airplane should have had enough fuel for another 20 minutes of flight. He reported that the pilot sprayed the field using a "squeeze pattern." By using the squeeze pattern, the pilot sprayed the outside of the field first and worked his way to the center. By doing so, the airplane was constantly turning in the same direction. The owner reported that you can "sling all the fuel from one side to the other side," and that it's possible to get air in the system. ## Factual narrative The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a bean field while en route to the airport after an aerial application flight. The commercial pilot reported that he had finished spraying a field of soybeans and was ferrying the aircraft back to the airport when the "engine totally quit without any forewarning." He reported that he attempted a forced landing to a nearby highway, but the airplane lost too much altitude before reaching the highway and he executed a forced landing to a soybean field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wingtip, the right wing root attachment, and the engine firewall. The airplane wreckage was recovered from the bean field two weeks after the accident occurred. The airplane was in about a 20-degree, right wing low attitude. No fuel was found in the left fuel tank. The header fuel tank located between the left and right fuel tanks was found dry. The header tank's quick fuel drain was found crushed, but held open. About 10 gallons of fuel were found in the right fuel tank. No fuel blight was observed on the bean plants at the accident site. The airplane's owner reported that the airplane was fueled prior to the accident flight, and that the left wing was full of fuel. He reported that the airplane should have had enough fuel for another 20 minutes of flight. He reported that the pilot sprayed the field using a "squeeze pattern." By using the squeeze pattern, the pilot sprayed the outside of the field first and worked his way to the center. By doing so, the airplane was constantly turning in the same direction. The owner reported that you can "sling all the fuel from one side to the other side," and that you can get air in the system. The pilot reported that he had a total of 542 flight hours with 324 hours in make and model. He reported that he had flown 283 hours in the make and model within the last 90 days. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9195G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9195G-2013-07-16), registration cancelled 2013-07-16, S/N 502-0234, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Air Tractor AT-502 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-502](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (registry code 0390303) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 502-0234 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 137 - Registered owner: Blair Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: CSQ, Creston, IA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2; flight hours: 542 total, 322 in this make and model, 282 in the last 90 days, 96 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20070809017619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070809017619A), Aug 9, 2007: Airtrc AT502, Stringtown, IA, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot had finished his application on a soybean field and was returning to creston municipal airport. The pilot reported that the engine quit without… ## Other investigations on N9195G (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 DFW06CA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06CA155), Jun 6, 2006: Air Tractor AT-502 (N9195G), Minturn, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate inflight planning/decision, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. 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. --- 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.