# Accident 20010817022749A: Ayres S2R, Fabens, TX, August 17, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 17, 2001, 09:10 local time - Place: Fabens, TX - Airport: Fabens Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: ZDEG - Location: 31.5156° N, 106.1472° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5156&lon=-106.1472&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4890X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4890X-2003-05-16) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Rockwell International S-2R (registry code 7630202, https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-s-2r) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AYRES S2R - Reported engine: PWA R1340AN1 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 85 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA184) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010817022749A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AN AERIAL APPLICATION THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT SETUP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A NEARBY FIELD WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL STRUCK A POWER LINE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE FIELD RIGHT SIDE UP. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. (.19) ON AUGUST 17, 2001 AT 0915 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROCKWELL S-25, AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N4890X, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR CLINT, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY TNT AVIATION, INC., OF FABENS, TEXAS, UNDER CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 0700 FROM THE OPERATOR'S PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR FABENS, TEXAS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON, FOLLOWING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT FABENS. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRCRAFT AND THINKING THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN TOPPED AND THE HOPPER FILLED WITH CHEMICALS, HE DEPARTED FOR THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HOLDS 1 06 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL WITH A FUEL BURN OF 40 GALLONS PER HOUR, AND SINCE THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN TOPPED, THE AIRPLANE "WAS OUT OF FUEL." THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE SITE, FOUND THE ENGINE DISPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE DAMAGED FIREWALL. AN UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE "TAILWHEEL CAUGHT THE TOP WIRE OF THE POWER LINES AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND NOSE DOWN." (.4) ON AUGUST 17, 2001, AT 0910 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A ROCKWELL S-2R, AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N4890X, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR FABENS, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY T&T AVIATION, INC., OF FABENS, TEXAS, UNDER CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 0710, FROM THE FABENS AIRPORT. ON THE PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT (NTSB FORM 6120.1/2), THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON THE PREVIOUS AFTERNOON, FOLLOWING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT THE FABENS AIRPORT. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRCRAFT AND PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INS PECTION; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL TO ENSURE THE TANKS WERE TOPPED FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY'S FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AND COMPLETED THE SPRAYING OF 175 ACRES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EN ROUTE TO THE FABENS AIRPORT FOR REFUELING AND RELOADING OF CHEMICAL WHEN THE "ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION." DURING THE FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD, THE TAIL WHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE HOOKED THE TOP WIRE OF POWER LINES AND "CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO PANCAKE INTO THE FIELD, TAKING OUT THE LANDING GEAR AS WELL AS SNAPPING THE TOP POWER LINE." FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT RECOMMENDED THE "1.) USE OF CALIBRATED FUEL TANK STICK TO POSITIVELY VERIFY AMOUNT INDICATED BY FUEL GAUGE, 2.) CHECKED [FUEL] BY PILOT EACH AND EVERY TIME, [AND] 3.) DO NOT DEPEND ON GROUND PERSONNEL." THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE SITE, FOUND THE ENGINE DISPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE DAMAGED FIREWALL. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THE PROPELLER WERE ALSO DAMAGED. ## 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 FTW01LA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA184), Aug 17, 2001: Rockwell S-2R (N4890X), Fabens, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the power line. ## Other reports on N4890X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19940804020149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940804020149A), Aug 4, 1994: Ayres S2RRESTD (N4890X), Clint, TX, Substantial damage. Lost power maneuvering from spray run. Wing tore off pickup roof landing on a road. Came to rest in a ditch. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.