Air Tractor AT-300 accident near New Cuyama, California, August 15, 1989
On August 15, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-300, registered N4324S, was destroyed in an accident near New Cuyama, California. 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 MISMANAGEMENT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY WHICH LED TO AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND BY ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Cuyama, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-300
- Registration
- N4324S · no longer on the register · serial 301-0004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER, STALLED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING A RETURN TO A PRIVATE AIR STRIP. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT OR ON THE GROUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. DISASSEMBLY OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED ABOUT SEVEN OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE FLOAT CHAMBER. ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS, 46 OUNCES OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO FILL THE CHAMBER.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: New Cuyama CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.