Air Tractor INC AT-602 accident near Longview, Texas, May 23, 2013
On May 23, 2013 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Air Tractor INC AT-602, registered N583LA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Longview, Texas (East Texas Rgnl airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2013 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Longview, Texas · East Texas Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor INC AT-602 · all AT-602s on the register
- Registration
- N583LA · no longer on the register · serial 602-0583
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,196 hours in all; 177 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 4,099 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,269 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Red River Agviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: n/a Trinity TX at 10:20 pm
- Destination: GGG Longview TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KGGG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.