Pilot Debrief

AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602 near Longview, TX — 2013-05-23

Final reportCEN13LA293
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Date
2013-05-23
Location
Longview, TX, USA
Airport
GGG
Aircraft
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602
Registration
N583LA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Descent

Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which precluded him from locating his intended destination and led to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB narrative

The pilot planned to spray a field and then refuel. After spraying the field, the pilot circled for about 15 minutes looking for his intended airport, but he could not locate it. He spotted another airport about 5 miles south of his location and headed in that direction. As he approached to land, he noticed the airport had a control tower. He stated that, because he did not have the capability to radio the tower for a request to land, he aborted the approach, crossed the midfield, and rocked the airplane's wing in an attempt to receive a green light from the control tower signaling approval to land. After not receiving the green light, he made a right turn away from the airport, at which point, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made an emergency landing in a field about 1 mile southeast of the airport. After the accident, he reported that he had exhausted the airplane's fuel supply. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of usable fuel in the fuel tanks or the vicinity of the accident site and no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have refueled before attempting to locate KGGG.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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