Air Tractor AT-401 N7318C

Summary

On 1 June 2006 at about 16:00 local time, a Air Tractor AT-401 registered N7318C, operated by Roger Quinn, was involved in an accident near Garden City, 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

1 June 2006 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Garden City, Texas, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-401

Registration

N7318C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Roger Quinn

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Garden City → Garden City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06CA149

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper in-flight planning resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing 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

The non-instrument rated commercial pilot departed on a maintenance test flight in a single-engine agricultural airplane. During the test flight the airplane's radial engine lost power and the pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a cotton field. The airplane sustained structural damage during the forced landing. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress the airplane unassisted. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 040 degrees at 11knots, gusting to 18 knots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who traveled to the accident site, confirmed the airplane sustained structural damage during the forced landing. Additionally, the inspector reported that the aircraft ran out of fuel. Despite repeated attempts by the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC), the pilot failed to return a completed Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form (NTSB Form 6120.1).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.