Air Tractor Inc AT 301 N3169D accident near Hutchinson, Minnesota

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during an agricultural application flight, he accidentally loaded more fertilizer to disperse than he had initially planned, which made the airplane "heavy." He chose not to add fuel to prevent the airplane from being over its gross weight. During flight, the engine lost power, and the pilot conducted a forced landed in a dirt field that was water-logged due to recent storms. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that "I misjudged what I believed to be a safe quantity of fuel remaining."

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA371 for the full record.