Ayres S2R-T34 N3095X

Summary

On 15 February 2013 at about 20:00 local time, a Ayres S2R-T34 registered N3095X, operated by Coates Flying Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Fort Gaines, Georgia, 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

15 February 2013 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Gaines, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Coates Airport (79GA)

Coordinates

31.4881, -85.0097

Aircraft

Ayres S2R-T34

Registration

N3095X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1991

Engines

1

Operator

Coates Flying Service Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Gaines → Fort Gaines

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA138

Nobody was injured.

The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of debris in the fuel control unit.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was topped off with 60 gallons of fuel prior to departure and that he applied a spray application to a field for about 30 minutes before returning to the airplane's home base. While enroute, the engine lost power and the pilot was unable to restart the engine. He then performed a forced landing in a field, during which both wings sustained substantial damage. After the accident, about 35 gallons of fuel remained in the left wing and 5 gallons remained in the right wing. Postaccident examination indicated that the left forward wing fuel line was partially blocked; the aft left and both right wing fuel lines were free of obstruction. Additionally, the fuel control unit was contaminated with debris. All other fuel system parts were free of obstructions. The left forward fuel line and fuel fitting were sent to the NTSB materials laboratory for examination and were found to be blocked with debris consistent with soil. The debris in the left forward wing fuel line alone would not have reduced fuel flow to the engine; however, the contamination of the fuel control unit likely would have reduced fuel flow sufficient to cause fuel starvation. The investigation was unable to determine the origin of the debris.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.