Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blythe, California 92225
Thursday, September 21, 1989 18:58 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A SPRAY PLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A SPRAY RUN. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED INTO A SOFT FIELD AND WENT OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE GROUND LOADER HAD REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT BETWEEN SPRAY RUNS AS WAS CUSTOMARY. THE PILOT DID NOT VISUALLY VERIFY THE FUEL LOAD IN THE TANKS AND HAD RELIED ON THE FUEL GAUGE WHICH INDICATED A PARTIAL FUEL LOAD IN ONE WING. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURE WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO VERIFY THE FUEL SUPPLY PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1858
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BLYTHE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92225
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2199
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41960
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3654N
NTSB Number LAX89DUG09
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR
Aircraft Model AT-301A
Aircraft Series Identifier AT-301A
Aircraft Serial Number 0289
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 11 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 5246
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK BEADLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4500 CANNON 78
Aircraft Owner City KLAMMATH FALLS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CYR AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 491 HOLLY LANE
Operator City BLYTHE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92225
Operator Code ROUG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BLYTHE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1853
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --