Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Belle Glade, Florida, October 2, 1989
On October 2, 1989 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N8842S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belle Glade, Florida. 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE TERRAIN CONDITION IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1989 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Glade, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N8842S · registry record · serial 301-0207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
NEITHER THE PLT NOR THE OPERATOR CHECKED THE ACFT'S FUEL LEVEL BEFORE THE FLT. THE PLT RPRTD THAT ABOUT 30 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, AS HE WAS APPLYING BAIT TO A CANE FIELD, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE CANE, BUT THE ACFT WENT INTO A DITCH BEFORE STOPPING. AN INSPN OF THE FUEL SYS REVEALED ABOUT 1 QT OF FUEL WAS REMAINING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,285 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 3,988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1989; 434 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,710 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Crop Care INC.
The flight
- Departed from: X10 Belle Glade FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: X10
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from PBI, 21 miles away
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.