Air Tractor 301 N23260

Summary

On 23 September 2006 at about 13:30 local time, a Air Tractor 301 registered N23260, operated by Harold Griffith, was involved in an accident near Big Spring, Texas, 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

23 September 2006 at 13:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Big Spring, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Big Spring Municipal (KBPG)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Air Tractor 301

Registration

N23260

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harold Griffith

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Griffith Field → Big Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06CA214

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 9,000-hour commercial pilot departed from a private airstrip on an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that just prior to reaching his destination, the fuel pressure light came on and the 600 horsepower radial engine lost power. The pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a field on a southern heading. The airplane sustained structural damage upon contact with trees during the forced landing. Examination of the airplane revealed that the loss of fuel pressure was the result of fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident scattered clouds prevailed at 6,000 and the winds were from 360 degrees at 8 knots. The airplane sustained structural damage upon impact with the trees. The pilot was not injured.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.