Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight. Contributing to the accident was the muddy field and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On August 2, 2001, at 1205 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N4478Y, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a cornfield near Calloway, Nebraska. The pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial spraying flight had departed a private airstrip near Callaway, Nebraska, at 1100 and was spraying chemical when the airplane lost power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported he, "... left the airport without fueling the airplane. Made a forced landing in a cornfield. The cornfield was the only available spot." The pilot reported the cornfield was muddy.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI01LA263