Air Tractor AT301 N4353S

Summary

On 24 May 1995 at about 23:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT301 registered N4353S was involved in an accident near Clark, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 May 1995 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Clark, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

44.8791, -97.7303

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT301

Registration

N4353S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95LA158

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the pilot to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's excessive braking.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.