East Texas Rgnl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longview, Texas 75603
Thursday, May 23, 2013 18:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot planned to spray a field and then refuel. After spraying the field, the pilot circled for about 15 minutes looking for his intended airport, but he could not locate it. He spotted another airport about 5 miles south of his location and headed in that direction. As he approached to land, he noticed the airport had a control tower. He stated that, because he did not have the capability to radio the tower for a request to land, he aborted the approach, crossed the midfield, and rocked the airplane's wing in an attempt to receive a green light from the control tower signaling approval to land. After not receiving the green light, he made a right turn away from the airport, at which point, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made an emergency landing in a field about 1 mile southeast of the airport. After the accident, he reported that he had exhausted the airplane's fuel supply. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of usable fuel in the fuel tanks or the vicinity of the accident site and no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which precluded him from locating his intended destination and led to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/2013
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Longview
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75603
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323202N
Event Location Longitude 0944241W
Event Location Airport EAST TEXAS RGNL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GGG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 365
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KGGG
Elevation of weather observation facility 365
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KGGG 232253Z 08006KT 10SM CLR 31/20 A2998 RM
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32102
NTSB Notification Source FAA SW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 20 2013 11:19AM
User who most recently changed record linj-i
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N583LA
NTSB Number CEN13LA293
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 INC
Aircraft Model AT-602
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 602-0583
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 7 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4269
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Red River Agviation Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fouke
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71837
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Red River Agviation Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fouke
Operator State AR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 71837
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number 1RRG510M
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
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 n/a
Departure City Trinity
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GGG
Destination City Longview
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 20 2013 11:20AM
User who most recently changed record linj-i
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 --