On April 4, 2005, an Air Tractor AT-602 (registration N5015K) operated by Top Hat Aerial Applicators Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Imperial, NE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. The soft ground was a factor. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aerial application airplane was damaged during a forced landing to a field after losing engine power. The pilot had reported fuel remaining, but post-accident examination revealed no usable fuel. Engine functional test found no anomalies.
Accident Details
The accident involved an aerial application airplane that sustained damage during a forced landing to a field following a loss of engine power. According to the pilot, he had approximately 40 minutes of fuel remaining when he exited the last sprayed field. While about 1 mile south of the airport, the engine lost power. The pilot checked the fuel flow meter, which indicated over 30 minutes of fuel remaining, with one tank showing 1/4 and the other showing 1/8. He executed a landing to a field, but the main landing gear sunk into soft dirt, causing the airplane to nose over.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no usable quantity of fuel remaining in the fuel tanks. Subsequently, the engine was removed and subjected to a functional test on a test stand. The test revealed no anomalies with the engine.