# NTSB WPR20LA172: Ayres S2R, N2245S, Imperial, CA, May 9, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 9, 2020, 12:10 local (19:10 UTC) - Place: Imperial, CA - Coordinates: 32.830554, -115.5725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8306&lon=-115.5725&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101404 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20LA172 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101404/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101404 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA172 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of control during a landing roll due to a failure of the main O-ring in the right brake assembly, which resulted in a loss of brake pressure and subsequent brake failure. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: hydraulic fluid](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071015): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Ayres S2R-G1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071015/cases.md?model=0970219), [All aircraft, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071015/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: landing gear brakes system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Ayres S2R-G1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240/cases.md?model=0970219), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023240/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Ayres S2R-G1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0970219), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Ayres S2R-G1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0970219), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis Shortly after landing, the airplane veered left. The pilot used right rudder and applied right brake to counteract the turn, and the airplane began to straighten out. Immediately after, he felt that the right brake was not working, and the airplane again made an immediate turn to the left. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, the left-wing tip impacted the ground, and the airplane spun to the left, which resulted in a collapse of the left main landing gear and substantial damage to the left wing. An examination of the right brake assembly revealed that the center piston O-ring was damaged, and the right brake hydraulic fluid reservoir was empty. These discrepancies resulted in the loss of brake pressure and subsequent failure of the right brake. ## Factual narrative On May 9, 2020, about 1210 Pacific daylight time, an Ayres Corporation S2R-G1 airplane, N2245S, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Imperial, California. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The pilot reported that he had completed eight crop-dusting application loads and a rinse-load before returning to the home base of Imperial County Airport (IPL), Imperial, California. During the approach to runway 32, he entered the airport traffic pattern at a 45° right base entry and stated that everything was normal up to this point. Shortly after crossing the runway threshold, both main landing gear touched down on the runway and the airplane made an immediate turn to the left. He applied pressure to the right rudder pedal and right brake to counteract, and the airplane started to straighten out. Shortly after he felt that the right brake was not working, and the airplane again made an immediate turn to the left and exited the runway. The pilot then reported that after exiting the runway, the left wing tip impacted the ground, the airplane spun to the left, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot also reported that the right main brake assembly had been leaking prior to the accident. The pilot provided a pre-accident photograph that showed a small puddle of brake fluid near the right main landing gear, where the airplane is normally parked. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane traveled over soft terrain and the left main landing gear struts buckled near the fuselage attach points. The left wing contacted the ground and was buckled across the midsection of the upper surface. The left wing had two ribs that were distorted, and the right main tire showed evidence of fluid streaks, consistent with a leaking brake assembly. During the examination of the brake assemblies, the right brake assembly had a damaged O-ring located on the center piston (see figure). The reservoir for the right brake assembly was also empty of brake fluid. Figure - Brake assembly disassembled. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2245S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2245S), registered now, S/N G1-106 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ayres S2R (G1) - Registry model: [Ayres S2R-G1](https://openairdocs.org/model/ayres-s2r-g1) (registry code 0970219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01517, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: G1-106 - Engines: Airesearch TPE331 turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Farmers Services - Registered owner: Fernandez Amador Jr - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: IPL, Imperial, CA - Destination: IPL, Imperial, CA - Airport: IPL, Imperial County, runway 32, 5,308 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; seat: single; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 8,000 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: KIPL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200509001919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200509001919A), May 9, 2020: Ayres Corporation S2R-G1, Imperial, CA, Substantial damage. On 5/5/2020 N2245S a thrush 600 crashed during the landing roll out, pilot stated that as the main wheels touched the runway, the aircraft made a slight turn… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101404. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13129484&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation-pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13129233&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA examination notes (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13129223&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Examination%20Notes_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array-courtesy of owner (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13132804&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Courtesy%20of%20the%20airplane%20owner-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.