Ayres S2R-T34 N365SM

Summary

On 6 August 2012 at about 15:25 local time, a Ayres S2R-T34 registered N365SM, operated by Tri-Rotor Spray & Chemical, was involved in an accident near Lakin, Kansas, 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.

Date

6 August 2012 at 15:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakin, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

37.9844, -101.3267

Aircraft

Ayres S2R-T34

Registration

N365SM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Tri-Rotor Spray & Chemical

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakin → Lakin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12FA521

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the corn during an aerial application flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he had encountered low-level turbulence during his previous agricultural application flights. During the accident flight, he noted continued turbulence and observed powerline obstructions around the field. The pilot then descended the airplane to the field beyond the power lines and leveled out about 3 to 5 feet above the corn. He reported that the airplane experienced some "sink" and that he applied back stick pressure to remain "level." However, the airplane continued to descend, contacted the corn, pitched nose down, and came to rest near the cornfield. The propeller and engine exhibited signs of power production at the time of the accident and postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation before the accident. The pilot stated that he was sick the weekend before the accident and should have stayed in bed. Additionally, he commented that he had been relocating to a new house where he worked long hours there. The weather at the time had a higher than standard density altitude. However, there was insufficient supporting data to determine the extent to which these issues might have played a part in the pilot's and the airplane's reduced performance during the accident flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.