Ayres S-2R N40237
16 March 1994 · Reno, Nevada, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 16 March 1994 at about 22:08 local time, a Ayres S-2R registered N40237 was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and one died. One person on the ground also died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:08
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Reno, Nevada, United States
- Coordinates
- 39.4798, -119.7408
- Aircraft
- Ayres S-2R
- Registration
- N40237
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Ferry
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Truckee → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94FA165
People
1 person died, including 1 on the ground.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured | On the ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
AN UNDETERMINED PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE OIL SYSTEM, A DECISION TO FLY THE AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY, AND PROGRESSIVE (PARTIAL) FAILURE OF THE ENGINE MASTER ROD AND BEARING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT, THE PILOT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED STOP AT TRUCKEE DUE TO HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE & LOW OIL PRESSURE. AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE OWNER/OPERATOR, THE PILOT ARRANGED FOR A MECHANIC TO CHECK THE MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG & ENGINE OIL SCREEN. THE MAGNETIC DRAIN PLUG WAS FREE OF PARTICLE DEBRIS & THE SCREEN HAD A FEW PARTICLES (NOT OUT OF ORDINARY). A DECISION WAS MADE TO FERRY THE PLANE TO RENO/STEAD, WHERE EXPERIENCED MAINTENANCE FOR WRIGHT ENGINES WAS AVAILABLE. DURING FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE & INDICATED HE WOULD LAND ON A ROAD. ONE WITNESS SAID HE SAW A PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE FOLLOWED BY BLACK SMOKE. WHILE LANDING, THE PLANE HIT ELECTRICAL LINES ALONG THE ROADWAY, THEN IT STRUCK A LIGHT POST, THE GROUND & A VAN. AN EXAM REVEALED METAL CHIPS ON THE OIL DRAIN PLUG & IN THE OIL SCREEN. TEAR- DOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A WORN MASTER ROD JOURNAL WITH HEAT DISCOLORATION. TOXICOLOGY TESTS SHOWED 0.003 UG.ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIJUANA) IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD & 0.072 UG/ML IN HIS URINE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Ayres S-2R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 1993 | Ayres S-2R-T34 | Tulare, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 1992 | Ayres S-2R | Douglas, Georgia, United States | Souther Crop Spraying Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 1996 | Ayres S-2R | Wharton, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 1990 | Ayres S-2R | Fort Pierce, Florida, United States | Sunniland Aircraft Sales, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1989 | Ayres S-2R | Yuma, Arizona, United States | Schmit Robert, Schmit Doug | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 1999 | Ayres S-2R | Brooten, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Sep 1994 | North American SNJ-5 | Reno, Nevada, United States | Same AS Registered Owner | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Sep 1994 | Cessna 182Q | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Stanley A. Lawless | Fatal | 1 |
| 5 May 1994 | Bell 206B | Overton, Nevada, United States | US Army Corps of Engineers | Unknown | - |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Bell 206-B3 | Indian Springs, Nevada, United States | United States Air Force | Unknown | - |
| 1 Nov 1994 | Cessna 421A | Sparks, Nevada, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Dec 1994 | Siai-Marchetti SF260C | North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |