Perry-Foley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Perry, Florida 32347
Thursday, May 18, 2006 10:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial certificated pilot was conducting agricultural spraying under Title 14, CFR Part 137, in a turbine-powered airplane, and had been refueling throughout the day at a local airport. The pilot reported that he and his ground crew kept a log of spray loads, flight time, and the quantity of fuel that was added upon each return to the airport. The pilot indicated that each refueling usually required about 70 gallons, and the airplane's fuel capacity was 104 gallons. He said that while spraying over an area of pine trees about 800 feet above ground level (agl), the engine lost power. He made a forced landing in an area of cut trees, and the airplane received structural damage to the landing gear, fuselage, and wings. The pilot said that after the accident, he inspected the fuel tanks and found them dry. The operator reported that their examination of the airplane after the accident did not reveal any mechanical malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane before fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power while maneuvering, and a subsequent forced landing and collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Perry
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32347
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 300012N
Event Location Longitude 0832936W
Event Location Airport Perry-Foley
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 40J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 6
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) 20286
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2006 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5596X
NTSB Number ANC06CA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell International
Aircraft Model S-2R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5095R
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Croom Aviation
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6594 Hwy 39 South
Aircraft Owner City Donalsonville
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39845
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Croom Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Donalsonville
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code NQOG
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 40J
Departure City Perry
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
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? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 22 2006 4:22PM
User who most recently changed record LABJ
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 --