Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flagler, Colorado 80815
Saturday, May 22, 2004 10:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was aerial spraying 15 miles south of Flagler, Colorado. He said he refueled the airplane the load before the accident with 15 to 20 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported his bubble fuel gage indicated he had 10 to 15 gallons of fuel. The pilot said he was in a turn, reversing course to make his last pass on a field before returning to the airstrip. About 200 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot said he leveled the wings, put the nose down, and thought he would be okay. He said however, he had no airspeed to flare and hit the ground hard. The airplane's main landing gear and right wing were broken aft. The pilot said he was "100 percent certain" that he ran out of fuel. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude, low airspeed, and the inoperative fuel quantity gauge.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Flagler
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80815
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 391630N
Event Location Longitude 1040418W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16058
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8586L
NTSB Number DEN04CA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25-5010
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dan Silkman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Burlington
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ron Seelhoff
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Burlington
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Flagler
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 16 2004 10:19AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --