On July 18, 1990, a Piper PA-25 (registration N8939L) operated by Wa-lu Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Farmville, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision not to refuel the aircraft between application flights, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural pilot skipped refueling between crop application flights, leading to engine failure and a forced landing while en route to base.
What happened
The incident involved an agricultural aviation operation where the pilot was conducting crop dusting duties. After completing one application flight, the aircraft landed on the field to reload the chemical hopper with pesticides or fertilizer. During this turnaround period, the pilot made a deliberate decision not to refuel the aircraft before taking off for the next mission.
While flying back toward the base of operations following the final application flight of the day, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. With no option to return to the previous landing site or reach the intended destination, the pilot executed a forced landing in the only clear area available nearby.
The investigation
The operator provided a statement confirming that the aircraft had landed between application flights and that the chemical hopper was successfully refilled. However, the operator noted that the pilot elected not to add fuel during this stopover. This omission directly led to the engine quitting while enroute to base.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision not to refuel the aircraft between application flights, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing.