Air Tractor AT-502B N90375

Summary

On 15 September 2004 at about 16:05 local time, a Air Tractor AT-502B registered N90375 was involved in an accident near Belle Glade, Florida, 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 September 2004 at 16:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Belle Glade, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Belle Glade, FL (PVT)

Coordinates

28.0575, -81.7628

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-502B

Registration

N90375

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Belle Glade → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04CA185

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and a loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was topped off with 31 gallons JP-5 from the operator's above-ground 8,000-gallon supply tank. The pilot stated he did not sump the airplane's fuel tanks prior to departure. The flight departed the airstrip and was at 500 feet above ground level when the airplane lost engine power. The pilot's attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, and the pilot executed an emergency landing on a dirt road. The airplane collided with a dirt berm and spun into a ditch. Examination of the airplane revealed approximately two quarts of water was retrieved from each wing tank of the airplane, approximately one pint of water was retrieved from the fuel filter bowl, and the engine fuel filter was found saturated with water. Examination of the fuel supply tank revealed water in the tank and tank filter. The pilot stated the supply tank had not been used to fuel any airplanes since before Hurricane Frances impacted the Belle Glade, Florida, area with heavy rain and high winds on September 5, 2004. The pilot examined the tank and reported the vent lids on the tank could be lifted open, the pick-up tube for the nozzle extended to the bottom of the tank, and the tank was not equipped with a means by which it could be sumped or drained from its lowest point.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.