20240620005749A

ON JUNE 20, 2024, AT 0730 LOCAL TIME, AN AYRES THRUSH S2R-G1 AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING AN INADVERTENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND FOLLOWING A SPRAY PASS IN A FIELD NEAR CANADIAN LAKES, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 137 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD FINISHED A SPRAY PASS AND WAS RETURNING TO GRIFFITH FIELD (13C), LAKEVIEW, MICHIGAN AND BECAME DISTRACTED WHILE LOOKING AT THE BOOM PRESSURE GAUGE THAT WAS LOCATED MID-WING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATES HE WAS MAKING SURE THE BOOM PRESSURE WAS ZERO AND THAT THE SPRAY VALVE HAD CLOSED PROPERLY WHEN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED SOFT EARTH. THE IMPACT DAMAGED THE LANDING GEAR TO THE POINT IT WAS JUST HANGING PARTIALLY FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO (13C) BUT NOTICED FUEL POURING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LEFT WING. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A NEARBY HAY FIELD. FOLLOWING LANDING, THE PILOT SHUT DOWN ALL ELECTRICAL AND EGRESSED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT STATES HE ONLY HAS LESS THAN 20 HOURS IN THE AIRCRAFT TYPE AND WAS NEW TO THE COMPANY.

INVESTIGATION SHOWS ALL PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT ARE ON SITE INCLUDING BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A HEADING OF 250 DEGREES WITH A 100-FOOT GROUND SCAR. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR IS FOLDED UNDER THE WING AND THE RIGHT GEAR HAS BEEN TORN AWAY AND IS LAYING 35 FEET BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT. ALL THREE PROPELLOR BLADES ARE TWISTED AND REMAIN ATTACHED TO THE HUB, INDICATIVE OF LOWER POWER ON IMPACT. MINIMAL CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION WAS ON SITE AS THE HOPPER WAS EMPTY PRIOR TO IMPACT. THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE.