- Date
- May 24, 1995, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clark, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4353SAir Tractor AT301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950524013089A
- Case key
- 9892
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 failure of the pilot to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's excessive braking.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Approximately one and a half hours into an aerial application flight, the pilot noticed that the left fuel tank gauge read below 1/4 tank. He switched the selected tank to the right. The right fuel tank gauge read empty. The pilot switched back to the left tank and immediately headed back to the airport to land. The pilot stated he believed that he would have enough fuel to get back to the airport. Approximately eight miles from the airport, the low pressure warning light illuminated. While preparing to make an emergency landing on a road, the engine lost all power. The pilot made a forced landing on a field. After touchdown the pilot applied heavy braking in an effort to avoid impacting a fence. The airplane came to rest in an inverted position.
Factual narrative
On May 24, 1995, at 1830 central daylight time (cdt), an Air Tractor AT301, N4353S, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing on a field near Clark, South Dakota. The pilot reported no injuries. The local 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight originated from Clark County Airport at 1700 cdt without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident.
In a detailed written statement, the pilot reported that the airplane was fueled and loaded with chemicals for an aerial application flight. He then departed Clark County Airport, flew to his destination, and began spraying. Almost done spraying the field and nearly out of chemicals, the pilot stated he noticed that the left fuel tank gauge read below 1/4 tank. He switched the selected fuel tank to the right tank, but the right fuel tank gauge read empty. The pilot stated he switched back to the left fuel tank and immediately headed back towards Clark County. The pilot stated, "I thought I would have enough [fuel] to get back."
Approximately eight miles from the airport, the low pressure warning light illuminated. The pilot stated he activated the hand fuel pump and prepared to make a forced landing on a road. "Before I was able to position myself for landing on the road the engine lost all power, and I was forced to land in a pasture," the pilot stated. After touchdown the pilot applied heavy braking in an effort to avoid impacting a fence. The airplane came to rest in an inverted position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4353S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0033
- Airframe hours
- 6,332
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Beving Aero Crop Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 1995 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- 8D7
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 40 in this make and model · 7,900 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.