N5674X

Substantial
None

Ayres S2R-600S/N: 2433R

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
NTSB Number
LAX08CA085
Location
Blythe, CA
Event ID
20080416X00497
Coordinates
33.619167, -114.716941
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the dusk light condition and the pressure the pilot felt to accomplish the flight.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N5674X
Make
AYRES
Serial Number
2433R
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Model / ICAO
S2R-600A660
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
491 HOLLEY LN
Status
Deregistered
City
BLYTHE
State / Zip Code
CA 92225-1151
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the pilot, at the end of a day of aerial application flights, he received a call from a customer who wanted a small field sprayed that evening. The airplane was not equipped with lights for night spraying; however, the pilot felt there was still enough light to safely accomplish the 10-minute job. The flight departed from the pilot's private airstrip at dusk and proceeded to the job area, which was flat terrain with no obstructions except canal banks at each end of the field. The first of three intended spray runs was completed without incident. At the end of the second spray run, the pilot did not see the canal bank at the end of the field. The airplane impacted the canal bank, bounced into the air, glided for about 1/4 mile, hit a second canal bank, nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented "by not allowing anyone, including myself, to pressure me into doing something that I knew was a substantially higher than normal risk for very little benefit."

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX08CA085