Air Tractor AT-301 N23189

Summary

On 29 July 2009 at about 11:15 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N23189, operated by Bob J. Spain, was involved in an accident near Firebaugh, California, 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

29 July 2009 at 11:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Firebaugh, California, United States

Coordinates

36.9072, -120.5150

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N23189

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bob J. Spain

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dos Palos → Dos Palos

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09LA374

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion that was due to the failure of company ground personnel to refuel the airplane. Contributing to the accident was unsuitable 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 single-engine airplane experienced a total loss of engine power five minutes after takeoff during an aerial application flight. The pilot attempted a forced landing to an alfalfa field he was preparing to spray, but after touching down, the airplane impacted an angle ditch and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its empennage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector examined the airplane on the morning of the accident and reported finding that both wing tanks were void of any fuel, and there was no evidence of any leakage. When the inspector revealed this to the pilot, the pilot stated that company personnel had fueled the airplane about 10 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot added that company policy is for the ground crew to fuel after each load, normally with 30 gallons of fuel to each wing tank while loading the plane with pesticide. The pilot supplied a company fuel log that indicated the airplane was fueled 4 times on the day of the accident. A subsequent examination and engine run performed by an airframe and power plant mechanic revealed no anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.