Air Tractor AT-301 N3166W

Summary

On 3 May 2012 at about 23:50 local time, a Air Tractor AT-301 registered N3166W, operated by Swancutt Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, 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

3 May 2012 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

41.3956, -96.5985

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-301

Registration

N3166W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Swancutt Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McCook → McCook

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA274

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While conducting an aerial application flight, the pilot noticed that the fuel gauge displayed a low quantity. While the pilot attempted to return to an airstrip, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a cornfield. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported in a postaccident statement that he ran out of fuel. Postaccident examination confirmed fuel exhaustion.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.