Accident Details
An aerial application pilot departed for a flight with an estimated 53 gallons of fuel on board. The Shadin fuel totalizer was not reset prior to departure. The pilot conducted multiple passes over a 100-acre field while spraying fertilizer. During the last swath run, as the pilot initiated a climb between 75 and 100 feet above ground level, the fuel flow fluctuated and the engine subsequently quit. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a turn road. Upon touchdown, the pilot observed a standpipe and attempted to lift off to avoid the obstruction. The airplane touched down, and the left main landing gear sank into soft ground, causing the landing gear to shear off. The aircraft rotated to the right onto its nose and then back to the left. The left wing sustained structural damage. The total flight time was 30 minutes.
Manufacturer Information
According to an email from the manufacturer to the NTSB investigator, the fuel burn rate at maximum takeoff power is 89 gallons per hour, and the unusable fuel quantity is 6 gallons.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination was conducted by an FAA inspector. The left and right main fuel caps were found to have a tight seal, and there was no evidence of fuel streaking or venting on the airplane or on the ground. Upon removal of the fuel caps, no fuel was visible. The right fuel tank was sumped, yielding approximately two ounces of fuel. The left fuel tank was sumped, but no fuel was drained. The header tank was sumped, yielding about one quart of fuel. The purge tank was sumped, and no fuel was present.