Ayres S2R accident near Firebaugh, CA
On February 18, 2005, an Ayres S2R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Firebaugh, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 18, 2005
- Place
- Firebaugh, CA
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 36.860°N, 120.464°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050224X00221
Official records · LAX05LA100
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 18, 2005, at 0811 Pacific standard time, an Ayres S2R, N4009M, impacted soft muddy terrain shortly after departing Firebaugh Airport, Firebaugh, California. Vance Ag was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137 as a local aerial application flight. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. According to the operator, the accident flight was to be the pilot's fourth flight of the day in that airplane. The pilot had landed just prior to the accident, and subsequently departed with a full load of Urea fertilizer. During a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, a witness stated that while exiting his office on the north end of the airport, he observed the accident airplane depart the runway. After the airplane climbed above several transmission wires, the engine made two "tszzz" whirling sounds, and subsequently became silent. The airplane pitched down in a nose-low configuration and dove toward terrain. The pilot initially egressed the airplane, but succumbed to his injuries about 30 minutes thereafter. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane after the accident occurred. He stated that the propeller blades did not exhibit any high energy impact signatures, and remained straight. While conducting an examination of the airplane he noted that the seatbelt was separated. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was an
Probable cause
the loss of engine power during takeoff climb resulting from the fatigue failure of one of the compressor turbine blades; the cause of the fatigue failure could not be definitively determined.
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Browse: California · Ayres aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
