Pilot Debrief

AYRES CORPORATION S2R T34 near Blythe, CA — 2015-06-02

Final reportWPR15LA176
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Date
2015-06-02
Location
Blythe, CA, USA
Aircraft
AYRES CORPORATION S2R T34
Registration
N4018Q
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting aerial application operations with the assistance of a spotter on the ground. The spotter saw the airplane fly over power lines along the perimeter of an adjacent field. The airplane then entered a nose-high attitude, consistent with the pilot's normal practice of pushing the chemical toward the spreader doors. The airplane continued to climb in a near-vertical ascent until reaching about 500 ft above ground level, after which the airplane entered a nose-low vertical descent that continued to ground contact. An examination of the wreckage revealed that all major components were accounted for at the accident site, and flight control continuity was established. No unusual meteorological phenomena were reported by the closest weather station or observed by witnesses to the accident. It is likely that, during the nose-high maneuver, the airplane exceeded its critical angle-of-attack and experienced an aerodynamic stall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided low pass maneuver over the field.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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