Winnsboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winnsboro, Louisiana 71295
Saturday, July 10, 2004 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 9,155-hour pilot stated that after he had finished an aerial application of insecticide in a field approximately 5 miles away from the airport, he pulled up and out and turned 180 degrees to the right to return to the airport. At an altitude of approximately 100 to 200 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot further stated that, due to the low altitude, he could not turn much in either direction. Subsequently, the pilot initiated a forced landing into a bean field, and struck a drainage canal. Examination of the fuel system revealed no fuel in the right wing tank. The pilot reported that he had been making all of his turns to the left, and that the fuel had transferred from the right fuel cell into the left fuel cell.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's mismanagement of fuel resulting in fuel starvation. A contributing factor was the ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Winnsboro
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71295
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 320910N
Event Location Longitude 0914154W
Event Location Airport Winnsboro Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F89
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 76
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID MLU
Elevation of weather observation facility 130
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
Density Altitude (feet) 1789
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16523
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10061
NTSB Number FTW04LA179
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-401
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 401-0696
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 Apr 10 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 6080
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Midway Farms, INC. DBA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7763 Highway 17
Aircraft Owner City Pioneer
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71266
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Charles Paris
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1004 Airport Drive
Operator City Winnsboro
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 71295
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code F89
Departure City Winnsboro
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code F89
Destination City Winnsboro
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2004 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --