- Date
- June 1, 2006, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Garden City, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7318CAir Tractor AT-401
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Lubbock, Texas
- FAA report
- 20060601008109A
- Case key
- 63813
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 improper in-flight planning resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
The non-instrument rated commercial pilot departed on a maintenance test flight in a single-engine agricultural airplane. During the test flight the airplane's radial engine lost power and the pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a cotton field. The airplane sustained structural damage during the forced landing. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress the airplane unassisted. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 040 degrees at 11knots, gusting to 18 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who traveled to the accident site, confirmed the airplane sustained structural damage during the forced landing. Additionally, the inspector reported that the aircraft ran out of fuel. Despite repeated attempts by the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC), the pilot failed to return a completed Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form (NTSB Form 6120.1).
Factual narrative
The non-instrument rated commercial pilot departed on a maintenance test flight in a single-engine agricultural airplane. During the test flight the airplane's radial engine lost power and the pilot elected to execute a forced landing in a cotton field. The airplane sustained structural damage during the forced landing. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress the airplane unassisted. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 040 degrees at 11knots, gusting to 18 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who traveled to the accident site, confirmed the airplane sustained structural damage during the forced landing. Additionally, the inspector reported that the aircraft ran out of fuel. Despite repeated attempts by the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC), the pilot failed to return a completed Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form (NTSB Form 6120.1).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7318C
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 401-0680
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-1820, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- Roger Quinn, doing business as Summers Spraying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Summers Spraying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Garden City, TX
- Destination
- Garden City, TX
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- BPG, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7318C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.