Ayres Corporation S-2R accident near Shafter, CA
On November 3, 2021, an Ayres Corporation S-2R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Shafter, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 3, 2021
- Place
- Shafter, CA
- Aircraft
- Ayres Corporation S-2R · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.519°N, 119.218°W
- NTSB ID
- 20211103104201
Official records · WPR22FA026
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On November 3, 2021, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Thrush Ayers Corporation S-2R airplane, N8960Q, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Shafter, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by Inland Aviation, Inc., as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 repositioning flight prior to conducting aerial application activity. A witness who spoke with the pilot before the flight stated that the pilot said the fog had cleared for a few moments and that he had missed his “window to leave.” About 20-30 minutes later he heard the pilot’s airplane start and take off. Another witness who spoke with the pilot reported that the pilot had been in and out of the office to use the phone and to check weather. His last comment to the witness was, “…you just have to get high enough over the top of the weather to get in the clear.” A third witness who was at his house about 6 miles west of the airport stated that around 1220 the visibility was 1/2 to 1 mile, with patchy fog and low ceilings of about 400 ft above ground level (agl). According to the post-accident meteorology report, weather conditions along the accident pilot’s flight path was IMC. The accident pilot’s flight in IMC might have led to his inability to see outside visual references. When there are no outside visual references, pilots must rely on use of flight instruments to understand their position in space. If a pilot does not reference the aircraft flight instruments and there are no outside visual references, the pilot might experience spatial disorientation. In thi
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane control.
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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.
