Fuel exhaustion Accident Air Tractor AT-301 N4353S, Wednesday 24 May 1995

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Date:	Wednesday 24 May 1995
Time:	18:30 LT
Type:	Air Tractor AT-301
Owner/operator:	Beving Aero Crop Service, Inc.
Registration:	N4353S
MSN:	301-0033
Year of manufacture:	1976
Total airframe hrs:	6332 hours
Engine model:	P&W R-1340
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Clark, SD - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:	(8D7)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF HOURS INTO AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK GAUGE READ BELOW 1/4 TANK. HE SWITCHED THE SELECTED TANK TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK GAUGE READ EMPTY. THE PILOT SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK AND IMMEDIATELY HEADED BACK TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND. THE PILOT STATED HE BELIEVED THAT HE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO GET BACK TO THE AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE LOW PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHILE PREPARING TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A ROAD, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A FIELD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID IMPACTING A FENCE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION.

Probable Cause: the failure of the pilot to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's excessive braking.

Accident investigation: