Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Preston, Idaho 83263
Saturday, June 27, 2009 7:05 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was returning to the airport after an aerial application. While turning from base to final, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot force-landed the airplane in a field; however, the field had been flood irrigated and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that usually he fuels the airplane to the same mark and then writes down the tachometer time. He felt that he may not have fueled to the mark and/or he spent more time on the field than he anticipated. There were no mechanical anomalies reported.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion that resulted from the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 705
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Preston
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83263
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 420507N
Event Location Longitude 1115549W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 651 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID KLGU
Elevation of weather observation facility 4457
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25768
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW Com Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2009 12:48AM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8600L
NTSB Number WPR09CA315
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25-5023
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 1
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 HILL CURT
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SODA SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83276-1249
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SIMPSON AVIATION AND AGRICULTURE INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lava Hot Springs
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code SQVG
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 SQVG254B
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 No
Departure Airport Code U10
Departure City Preston
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 520
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code U10
Destination City Preston
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 24 2009 7:19PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --