Air Tractor AT-502 N4540C

Summary

On 15 March 1996 at about 15:50 local time, a Air Tractor AT-502 registered N4540C was involved in an accident near Texarkana, Arkansas, 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

15 March 1996 at 15:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Texarkana, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-502

Registration

N4540C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Homan → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96LA148

Nobody was injured.

a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an application run the engine lost power. The pilot reported that there was 'not enough field left to land' and that the aircraft could not make it over the trees at the end of the field. The aircraft impacted the trees and came to a stop in a small field. Examination of the fuel system revealed a foreign substance in the main fuel filter. The fuel tank sump drain was leaking fuel and fuel was found in all fuel lines and the fuel control. A postaccident examination and teardown of the engine was completed on 4/4/96, and no anomalies were found that would prevent normal engine operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.