Ayres S2R600 N3101S
6 July 2011 · Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 6 July 2011 at about 15:30 local time, a Ayres S2R600 registered N3101S, operated by Swan Lake Flying Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ladd Airstrip
- Coordinates
- 34.1372, -91.8717
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R600
- Registration
- N3101S
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Swan Lake Flying Service, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Pine Bluff → Pine Bluff
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN11LA460
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The use of an incorrect mounting bolt by maintenance persons to attach the engine torque sensor, which resulted in an internal failure of the torque sensor and subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After the airplane sustained a complete loss of engine power during initial climb, the pilot performed an off-airport landing. Postaccident examination revealed that three teeth in the torque sensor spur gear separated after four of the five torque sensor mounting bolts became loose. The loose bolts caused the torque sensor housing to move radially away from the gear case, causing the teeth to overload and separate. Subsequently, the engine’s fuel pump and fuel control were no longer driven by the gears in the gear train, which were normally driven by the torque sensor spur gear, thus the engine was starved of fuel. Metallurgical examination showed that the bolts became loose because a bolt that was undersized and of the incorrect configuration had been installed. A maintenance record showed that the engine had previously been disassembled due to a torque sensor failure and an overhauled torque sensor had been reinstalled.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Ayres S2R600 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 2026 | Ayres S2R600 | Lebu, Chile | AirAndes | Serious injuries | - |
| 29 May 1987 | Ayres S2R600 | Paragould, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Jun 1987 | Ayres S2R600 | Lepanto, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 2011 | Cessna A185F | Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States | Ten South Skywagon LLC | No injuries | - |
| 17 Apr 2011 | Air Tractor AT-802A | Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas, United States | Frost Flying Service | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Sep 2011 | Piper PA-28-181 | Texarkana, Arkansas, United States | Texarkana Flying Club Inc | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jun 2011 | Schweizer G-164B | Cash, Arkansas, United States | Raymond Kennth Crider | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 2011 | Ayres S2R-T34 | Athleimer, Arkansas, United States | Swan Lake Flying Services Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Mar 2011 | Ayres S2R-T34 | Swan Lake, Arkansas, United States | Swan Lake Flying Service Inc | Minor injuries | - |