N23260 – Air Tractor 301 – 2006-09-23 NTSB Accident Report

On September 23, 2006, a Air Tractor 301 (N23260) was involved in an incident near Big Spring, TX. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as result of the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

The 9,000-hour commercial pilot departed from a private airstrip on an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that just prior to reaching his destination, the fuel pressure light came on and the 600 horsepower radial engine lost power. The pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a field on a southern heading. The airplane sustained structural damage upon contact with trees during the forced landing. Examination of the airplane revealed that the loss of fuel pressure was the result of fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, scattered clouds prevailed at 6,000 and the winds were from 360 degrees at 8 knots. The airplane sustained structural damage upon impact with the trees. The pilot was not injured.

This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW06CA214. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N23260.