Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to refuel his airplane, and the subsequent airborne fuel exhaustion. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing, and the high vegetation in the field.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On August 9, 1999, approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, a Pzl-Mielec M-18A (Dromader), N9103Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hasty, Colorado. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was being operated by Denton Aerial Spraying, Las Animas, Colorado, under Title 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight which originated from a private agricultural strip approximately 1 hour before the accident. No flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot, he had just finished an application job, and was flying back to his private airstrip. He said his fuel gauge was reading about 1/4 full. Two minutes later, his engine lost power. He hand pumped his fuel boost pump but there was no fuel in it. He performed a forced landing to a corn field, and the airplane nosed over.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DEN99LA140