No fatalities

2 Dec 2010: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602 — REYNOLDS FLYING SERVICE INC — Gregory, AR

Gregory, AR, United States

On 2 Dec 2010, an AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602 operated by REYNOLDS FLYING SERVICE INC was involved in an aviation accident near Gregory, AR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and failure to detect water contaminated fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power during takeoff. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An aerial application airplane experienced an engine power loss shortly after takeoff, leading to a forced landing that resulted in substantial damage. Post-accident examination revealed water in the fuel.

Accident Overview

A pilot conducting an aerial application flight experienced an engine power loss shortly after takeoff. The pilot elected to perform a forced landing in a field. During touchdown, the airplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage.

Pilot Statement

After the accident, the pilot reported that this was the first flight since refueling the airplane. He stated that he did not check the fuel supply prior to refueling.

Examination Findings

An examination of the airplane and refueling tanks, conducted after the accident, revealed the presence of water in the fuel.

Damage

The airplane received substantial damage during the hard landing.

Conclusion

The investigation determined that water was present in the fuel. No further details regarding the cause of the power loss have been provided.

Contributing factors

Inadequate inspectionFuelPilot