N40261

On April 9, 2024, at 1444 Pacific daylight time, an Ayres Corporation S2R-G10, N40261 was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Likely, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.

An employee of the operator who spoke with the pilot prior to departure reported that the pilot had picked up the airplane in Williams, California and flew approximately one hour and thirty minutes to the Alturas Ranch base. Once at the base, the airplane was loaded with rice for the pilot to apply on a nearby field about one mile away.

According to the fuel truck operator, the pilot applied 8 loads of rice and returned to the base to refuel. After the airplane was refueled, the pilot departed and applied approximately 7 loads rice on a nearby field. The fuel truck operator stated that he queried the pilot via radio to see if he intended to return for fuel, which the pilot responded he would complete one more application, however, the pilot did not return to the base. There were no known witnesses to the accident sequence.

Examination of the accident site revealed the airplane came to rest inverted on a northerly heading, along the edge of a rice field adjacent to a dirt road. The fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were partially submerged in water. The outboard 3 ft of the right wing leading edge was crushed.

The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Figure 1 -View of wreckage in the rice field.