Summary
On July 03, 2000, a Ayres S2R-G10 (N4061H) was involved in an accident near Brownfield, TX. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The loss of engine power due to the blocked engine intake, which resulted from ingesting birds. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the pilot's intentional ground loop in an attempt to avoid a ditch.
On July 3, 2000, at 1330 central daylight time, an Ayres S2R-G10 agricultural airplane, N4061H, was substantially damaged when it ground looped during a forced landing near Brownfield, Texas. The airplane was registered to Everidge Aerial Farming, Inc., of Pinehurst, Georgia, and was operated by G. B. Aerial Applications, Inc., of Plains, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.
This accident is documented in NTSB report FTW00LA192. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4061H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The loss of engine power due to the blocked engine intake, which resulted from ingesting birds. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the pilot's intentional ground loop in an attempt to avoid a ditch.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On July 3, 2000, at 1330 central daylight time, an Ayres S2R-G10 agricultural airplane, N4061H, was substantially damaged when it ground looped during a forced landing near Brownfield, Texas. The airplane was registered to Everidge Aerial Farming, Inc., of Pinehurst, Georgia, and was operated by G. B. Aerial Applications, Inc., of Plains, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from Plains, Texas, at 1315.
According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, the pilot was conducting a spraying run when a flock of doves flew into the airplane's flight path. Numerous birds were ingested in the engine's intake resulting in a loss of engine power. The pilot elected to land the airplane in a cotton field with a tail wind because he did not have enough altitude to turn around. During the landing roll, the pilot intentionally ground looped the airplane to avoid a ditch alongside a road. The airplane went up on its nose, turned 180 degrees, and came to rest upright facing the opposite direction of landing. The FAA inspector stated that the tail section and right wing sustained structural damage.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW00LA192