# Accident 19990901047669A: Ayres S2R, Cairo, GA, September 1, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 1, 1999, 08:45 local time
- Place: Cairo, GA
- Airport: Cairo-Grady County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.8943° N, 84.1699° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.8943&lon=-84.1699&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8965Q (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AYRES S2R
- Reported engine: PWA R1340*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,000 total, 2,100 in this make and model, 225 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA121) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990901047669A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND LOST POWER. AN EYEWITNESS AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED SEEING BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING  THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT TURNED RIGHT AND SELECTED A FIELD FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER CLEARING A NEARBY POND, THE PILOT DUMPED THE LOAD OF CHEMICALS, AND LANDED IN A FIELD ABOUT 300 YARDS BEYOND THE POND. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, FUEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR ALSO FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR COMPONENT FAILURE.  A REVIEW OF THE WEATHER DATA DISCLOSED THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS 68 DEGREES, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 66 DEGREES.  ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.                                       (-23) ON SEPT. 1, 1999, A 14 CFR 137 OPERATOR DEPARTED CAIRO-GRADY COUNTY AIRPORT (GEORGIA-70J) TO CONDUCT SPRAYING OPERATIONS. DURING DEPARTURE, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SPEW BLACK SMOKE (INDICATING A RICH MIXTURE). THE PILOT BEGAN TO DUMP HIS CHEMICAL LOAD AND THE ENGINE TEMPORARILY STARTED TO RUN PROPERLY, AND THE PILOT DISCONTINUED THE DUMPING OPERATION SECONDS LATER. THE SMOKE BEGAN AGAIN AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT (70J) AND REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR THE TREES. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING WHERE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE NTSB WAS CONDUCTING AN ENGINE TEARDOWN TO DETERMINE LOSS OF POWER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL99LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA121), Sep 1, 1999: Aero Commander S2R (N8965Q), Cairo, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were weather conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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