Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yates City, Illinois 61401
Sunday, July 25, 2010 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that after he completed the aerial application, he climbed to 500 to 600 feet above ground level. After he leveled the airplane, he heard a loud sound and the engine lost power. He executed a forced landing to a cornfield, during which the wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that he had about 50 to 75 gallons of fuel remaining in the wing tanks, when the accident occurred. The postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that no fuel was visible in the left and right wing tanks, but fuel was observed coming out of the right wing root. The engine was removed from the airframe and fuel was found in the fuel lines and fuel filter. The postaccident inspection of the airframe, engine, and engine components revealed no preimpact anomalies that would preclude normal engine operation. According to the lineman who fueled the airplane prior to departure, the right tank was full, and the left tank was nearly full. The endurance for the airplane was 3.2 hours; it had been flying for about 1 1/2 hours when the loss of power occurred.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Yates City
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61401
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404735N
Event Location Longitude 0900017W
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 1425 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID GBG
Elevation of weather observation facility 764
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
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) 28482
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2011 1:16PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8521L
NTSB Number CEN10LA437
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 AIR TRACTOR
Aircraft Model AT-602
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 602-0703
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1745
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTH DELTA AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 124 PHILLIPS 204
Aircraft Owner City WEST HELENA
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72390-9467
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HAR-MOR AG AIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tekamah
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 68061
Operator Code RKDG
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 RKDG612H
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 C66
Departure City Monmouth
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1255
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code C66
Destination City Monmouth
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 1 2011 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --