Air Tractor 301 accident near Dyer, Tennessee, September 23, 1995
On September 23, 1995 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Air Tractor 301, registered N5095S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dyer, Tennessee. 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-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MANAGE THE FUEL REQUIRED FOR THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1995 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dyer, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor 301
- Registration
- N5095S · registry record · serial 301-0118
- 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 WAS MANEUVERING ON A SWATH RUN AT ABOUT 100 TO 140 FEET AGL WHEN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD. BEFORE THE FLIGHT THIRTY-FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK. NO FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE AIRPLANE FLEW 25 MINUTES, LANDED, DEPARTED 5 MINUTES LATER, AND FLEW AN ADDITIONAL 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY AND ACCESSORIES BY THE FAA REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. FOUR OR FIVE DROPS OF FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. NO FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, AIRFRAME FUEL VALVE, FUEL MANIFOLD OR WOBBLE PUMP.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command; 3,120 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UCY Union City TN at 11:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from UCY
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.