LAX00LA175

NTSB accident investigation · Ayres S2R-600 · Buckeye, AZ · April 28, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 28, 2000, 07:30 local (14:30 UTC)
Place
Buckeye, AZ
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4018PAyres S2R-600
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 17, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000428008639A
Case key
49073

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft. A factor in the accident was the uneven runway surface.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - unevenFactor
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - berm

Analysis

The aircraft veered off the runway and collided with ground obstacles during landing. The pilot reported that he was landing with about 400 gallons of pesticide. He explained that the runway was half asphalt and half dirt. There was a bump in the runway where the two surfaces came together. The pilot reported that he hit the bump and the airplane veered to the left. He was unable to straighten out the airplane and added power to attempt to become airborne again, but did not have sufficient time. The airplane left the runway, hit a berm and flew over a concrete irrigation ditch that ran parallel to the runway, and then came to rest in an alfalfa field. The landing gear separated during the sequence.

Factual narrative

On April 28, 2000, at 0730 hours mountain standard time, an Ayres Corporation S2R-600, N4018P, sustained substantial damage when it ran off the runway while landing at a private agricultural airstrip near Buckeye, Arizona. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. The local area flight originated at an unknown time and was terminating at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that he was landing with about 400 gallons of pesticide. He explained that the runway was half asphalt and half dirt. There was a bump in the runway where the two surfaces came together. The pilot reported that he hit the bump and the airplane veered to the left. He was unable to straighten out the airplane and added power to attempt to become airborne again, but did not have sufficient time. The airplane left the runway, hit a berm and flew over a concrete irrigation ditch that ran parallel to the runway, and then came to rest in an alfalfa field. The landing gear separated during the sequence.

Aircraft

Registration
N4018P
Reported as
Ayres S2R-600
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2547R
Engine
Garrett TPE-331, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Operator
Randy Goering Inc
Registered owner
Av Finance Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Departed
MC85

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
41
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Center
Flight hours
14,500 total · 5,200 in this make and model · 1,400 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
90° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
163 °F, dew point 97 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
PHX, 30 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.