Air Tractor INC AT-301 accident near Wheatland, Wyoming, May 24, 2013
On May 24, 2013 at about 2:10 pm local time, a 1981 Air Tractor INC AT-301, registered N23647, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Wheatland, Wyoming. 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
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2013 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wheatland, Wyoming · 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-301, built 1981 · all AT-301s on the register
- Registration
- N23647 · registry record · serial 301-0407
- 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 reported that he departed for the agricultural aerial application flight with enough fuel to fly for about 1 hour 45 minutes. However, about 45 minutes into the flight, he noticed that the fuel gauges were indicating a low-fuel condition. He disregarded the gauges and continued his flight because he believed he had adequate fuel to complete the flight. A short time later, the engine lost power, and during the forced landing, the airplane impacted an irrigation ditch. Postaccident examination revealed about 1 gallon of fuel in each wing tank and no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Further, no evidence of fuel staining streaks or other indications of fuel leakage were found on the airplane. It is likely that the pilot overestimated the amount of fuel onboard the airplane at the beginning of the flight and that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 25, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 7,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAN Wheatland WY at 1:30 pm
- Destination: EAN Wheatland WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from TOR, 35 miles away
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.