Air Tractor AT-502 accident near Lorida, Florida, September 21, 1995
On September 21, 1995 at about 4:44 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-502, registered N1529E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lorida, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MISMANAGEMENT OF THE FUEL BY THE PILOT RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT'S POOR DECISION TO FLY OVER WATER EN ROUTE TO THE REFUELING AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1995 · about 4:44 pm local time
- Place
- Lorida, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Registration
- N1529E · registry record · serial 502-0161
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTURE AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS FILLING THE HOPPER WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING OBSERVED THE FUEL GAUGE IN THE COCKPIT AND NOTED THAT IT INDICATED 1/4. HE ADVISED THE PILOT TO REFUEL AND THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WOULD SPRAY PART OF THE LOAD THEN FLY TO SEBRING TO REFUEL. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED TOWARD THE SPRAY LOCATION SOUTH OF LAKE ISTOKPOGA. A WITNESS IN A BOAT OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCEND INTO THE WATER. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER AND NOSED OVER COMING TO REST IN ABOUT 5 FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT DID NOT ESCAPE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED REVEALED THAT THE FOUR PLACE SEAT RESTRAINT WAS UNLATCHED AND THE COCKPIT DOORS WERE OPEN. THE PILOT WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET. ACCORDING TO THE DIVER WHO RECOVERED THE PILOT'S BODY, VISIBILITY BENEATH THE SURFACE WAS POOR. DURING RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE THE FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED USING THE SUMP DRAINS AND ABOUT 2 GALLONS OF FUEL AND WATER WERE RECOVERED.
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: 10,800 hours in all; 323 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,216 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1995; 313 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Lake Placid FL at 4:45 pm
- Destination: SEF Sebring FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from FPR, 47 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA95LA229.