Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Coates Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fort Gaines, Georgia 39851
Friday, February 15, 2013 15:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that the airplane was topped off with 60 gallons of fuel prior to departure and that he applied a spray application to a field for about 30 minutes before returning to the airplane's home base. While enroute, the engine lost power and the pilot was unable to restart the engine. He then performed a forced landing in a field, during which both wings sustained substantial damage.
After the accident, about 35 gallons of fuel remained in the left wing and 5 gallons remained in the right wing. Postaccident examination indicated that the left forward wing fuel line was partially blocked; the aft left and both right wing fuel lines were free of obstruction. Additionally, the fuel control unit was contaminated with debris. All other fuel system parts were free of obstructions. The left forward fuel line and fuel fitting were sent to the NTSB materials laboratory for examination and were found to be blocked with debris consistent with soil. The debris in the left forward wing fuel line alone would not have reduced fuel flow to the engine; however, the contamination of the fuel control unit likely would have reduced fuel flow sufficient to cause fuel starvation. The investigation was unable to determine the origin of the debris.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of debris in the fuel control unit.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/15/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1500 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Fort Gaines |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39851 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 312917N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0850035W |
| Event Location Airport | Coates Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 79GA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 310 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1515 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 312 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BIJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 215 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| 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 |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32344 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 21 2014 12:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3095X |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA138 |
| 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 | AYRES CORPORATION |
| Aircraft Model | S2R-T34 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | T34-174 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 14 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 7190 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | COATES FLYING SERVICE INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 10 MOUNT CALVARY RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | FORT GAINES |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 39851-4216 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | COATES FLYING SERVICE INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 10 MOUNT CALVARY RD |
| Operator City | FORT GAINES |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 39851-4216 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | 79GA |
| Departure City | Fort Gaines |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 79GA |
| Destination City | Fort Gaines |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 21 2014 12:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |