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Atlas / NTSB / MIA98LA188

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event MIA98LA188

1998-07-06 OKEECHOBEE, Florida, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N10349

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

DEHAVILLAND DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)

Engine

P&W R-985 SERIES (450 hp)

Seats / Engines

8 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20020801

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A012DF

Registrant of record

CALDWELL BOB

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's improper planning/decision, by failing to ensure the aircraft contained adequate fuel to complete the flight, which led to fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Obstructions (trees and guardrail) in the emergency landing area were related factors.

Factual narrative

On July 6, 1998, about 0900 eastern daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, N10349, registered to Air Crop Care, Inc., collided with trees while making a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Okeechobee, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed, The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Okeechobee, Florida, the same day, about 0800. The pilot stated he was returning to a grass strip from which he was operating after completing his second spray operation of the day. The engine failed due to fuel exhaustion and as he was landing on a road, the left wing collided with a tree. The aircraft spun to the left and collided with a guard rail. The pilot stated that while returning to the departure strip after aerial application of chemicals, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. While landing on a road, the aircraft collided with a tree and a guardrail. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1998_MIA98LA188.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.