- Date
- February 8, 1997, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Firebaugh, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3101KAyres S2R-T65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970208001379A
- Case key
- 29723
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to compensate for crosswind conditions and to maintain proper runway alignment. Factors relating to the accident were: the crosswind, narrow runway condition, and the soft terrain and ditch beside the runway.
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.
Analysis
The pilot encountered a crosswind during the takeoff ground roll on a narrow airstrip. The airplane's left wheel drifted off the surface of the airstrip onto the soft shoulder, and the pilot lost control. The airplane then nosed down into a ditch and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On February 8, 1997, at 1000 hours Pacific standard time, an Ayres S2R-T65, N3101K, lost control during the takeoff ground run from the Bullard airstrip, veered off the runway and nosed over about 3 miles southwest of Firebaugh, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as an aerial application flight by Tri Air, Inc., under 14 CFR Part 137. The local agricultural flight was dispensing fertilizer. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
According to the operator, the Bullard airstrip is about 0.5 miles long, narrow, and covered with asphalt. The pilot indicated he encountered a crosswind during the takeoff ground run. The airplane's left wheel drifted off the surface of the airstrip into the soft shoulder. The pilot lost control of the airplane when it veered left. The airplane then nosed down into a ditch and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3101K
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-T65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R1340-030
- Airframe hours
- 3,263
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-6, 840 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Tri Air Inc
- Registered owner
- First National Bank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 1996 · 592 hours before
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 5,824 total · 500 in this make and model · 5,621 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCE, 26 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.