- Date
- August 12, 1999, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Humphrey, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1031QAir Tractor AT-401
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990812012029A
- Case key
- 47043
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
Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane.
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 agricultural airplane impacted a dike during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The commercial pilot stated that he was returning to his private airstrip after completing a spray run when the engine 'quit suddenly.' The pilot added that the engine restarted; however, it lost power again forcing him to make a landing in a rice field. The FAA inspector stated that the 'left fuel tank was dry and the right fuel tank contained 1 inch of fuel.' He added that the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 1999, at 0730 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-401 agricultural airplane, N1031Q, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Humphrey, Arkansas. The airplane was registered to and operated by Porky's Flying Service of Humphrey, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from the operator's private airstrip at 0700.
During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he was returning to his private airstrip after completing a spray run when the engine "quit suddenly." The pilot added that the engine restarted; however, it lost power again, forcing him to make a landing in a rice field approximately one mile from the private strip. During the forced landing, the airplane contacted a dike with both wings.
According to the FAA inspector, who visited that accident site, the left and right wing spars, three feet inboard of the wing tips, were bent up. The main landing gear collapsed, and the propeller sustained impact damage. The FAA inspector reported that the "left fuel tank was dry and the right fuel tank contained 1 inch of fuel." He added that the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1031Q
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 401-0743
- Airframe hours
- 3,958
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Porky'S Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1999 · 300 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 300 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.