Ayres S2R-T34 N3103D
14 June 1997 · Corning, Arkansas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 14 June 1997 at about 15:17 local time, a Ayres S2R-T34 registered N3103D was involved in an accident near Corning, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one 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 15:17
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Corning, Arkansas, United States
- Coordinates
- 36.4096, -90.5794
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-T34
- Registration
- N3103D
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Delaplaine → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW97FA220
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The in-flight separation of the left wing as result of fatigue crack of the lower spar cap due to inadequate materials by the manufacturer. A factor was the operator's failure to comply with a published service bulletin on the airframe.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The left wing of an agricultural airplane separated in flight while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. A witness observed the left wing of the airplane falling to the ground and the 'airplane cork screwing to the ground.' The left wing came to rest 90 yards from the tree line, with the main wreckage coming to rest approximately 289 yards beyond the left wing. A metallurgical examination of the fractured wing revealed that the separation of the lower spar cap was the result of a fatigue crack that emanated from the 1/4 inch diameter hole for the center splice fitting. The examination also revealed that the tensile strengths for the left wing spar cap was lower that that specified in the engineering drawing provided by the manufacturer. A review of the airframe records revealed that Ayres Service Bulletin No. SB-AG-39 ('Wing Spar Inspection and Fatigue Life Extension'), issued 17 September 1996, had not been complied with by the operator. This SB included procedures for accomplishing a magnetic particle inspection around the lower spar cap's bolt holes.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Ayres S2R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 1997 | Ayres S2R-T15 | Oakridge, Louisiana, United States | Arkla Flying Service | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Feb 1997 | Ayres S2R-T65 | Firebaugh, California, United States | TRI Air Inc | No injuries | - |
| 8 May 1997 | Ayres S2R-G10 | Munday, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 May 1997 | Ayres S2R | Brenon, Panama | William A Dufour | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 May 1997 | Ayres S2R-T-34 | Tonopah, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 1997 | Ayres S2R-T65 | Neiva, Colombia | Government of Colombia | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 1997 | Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18A | Waldenburg, Arkansas, United States | Leon E. Jacobi | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1997 | Grumman G-164B | Swifton, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Piper PA-28-140 | Ashdown, Arkansas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Jul 1997 | Reiffer RS-15 | Ward, Arkansas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Bell 47G-3B-1 | Crossett, Arkansas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1997 | Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B | Palestine, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |