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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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April 6, 1995 · Ayres S2R-T34 · N3105B

Stanfield, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 6, 1995
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 minor injury)
Location
Stanfield, AZ
Aircraft
Ayres S2R-T34
Tail Number
N3105B
Operator
Walton Enterprises of Arizona
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX95LA154

The surviving passenger said he had no memory of the accident flight and was in the rear seat to observe the use of a GPS-based guidance system which his company had purchased. The operator is a distributor for the guidance system and was conducting classes for purchasers of the system. The aircraft had no chemicals on board. A witness was 1 mile from the accident site and saw the aircraft in a turn near the edge of a farm field, then saw the black smoke rising from the site. The aircraft was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector who saw wire contact signatures on the right main landing gear and spreader booms. The aircraft appeared to be turning from a southwest to northeast direction in a 40-degree banked turn when it struck four 1-inch diameter aluminum power lines at a farm field's western boundary. Three of the lines were severed. Three separate sections of the wire had ends with a cut appearance, with no evidence of ductile deformation or necking. The propeller displayed leading edge damage, chordwise scoring, torsional twist signatures, and tip bending opposite the cambered side. No evidence of mechanical discrepancies were found.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout for, and clearance from, obstacles while conducting simulated aerial application operations.

Full Narrative

On April 5, 1995, at 1709 mountain standard time, an Ayres S2R- T34, N3105B, collided with power lines near Stanfield, Arizona. The 2-place training version of the S2R aircraft was operated by Custom Farms Air Service of Stanfield, and was demonstrating a GPS-based application guidance system developed for agricultural aircraft operators. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The aircraft was destroyed in the collision sequence and postcrash fire. The certificated commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries; however, the passenger receiving the system demonstration incurred minor injuries. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Stanfield on the day of the accident at 1615. The surviving passenger, who holds a commercial pilot certificate with a helicopter rating, stated that he had no memory of the accident flight. The passenger, an employee of an east coast agricultural aircraft operator, said he was seated in the rear seat and was observing the use of a GPS-based guidance system which his company had recently purchased. The operator stated that the company is a distributor for the guidance system and was conducting training classes for purchasers of the system. The company reported that the aircraft did not have chemicals on board, and the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the students with system operation during typical aerial application operations. One ground witness was located 1 mile away from the accident site. He observed the aircraft in a turn near the edge of a farm field, then saw the black smoke rising from the accident site. The aircraft was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector from the Scottsdale, Arizona, Flight Standards District Office. He reported observing wire contact signatures on the right main landing gear and spreader booms. The aircraft appeared to be traveling from a southwest to northeast direction when it contacted four 1-inch diameter aluminum power lines strung between poles at the western boundary of a farm field. Three of the lines were noted to be severed. The inspector noted that the wire contact signatures on the spreader boom leading edge were oriented on a 45-degree angle to the vertical axis and pointed in toward the fuselage. Three separate sections of the wire were observed to have ends with a cut appearance, with no evidence of ductile deformation or necking evident. The propeller was observed to display leading edge damage, chordwise scoring, torsional twist signatures, and tip bending opposite the cambered side. The inspector stated that he found no evidence of mechanical discrepancies in his examination.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time17:09 MST
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAyres S2R-T34
Tail NumberN3105B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorWalton Enterprises of Arizona
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsP&W · PT6A-34AG · Turboprop · 750
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 minor injury)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 50 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind290° @ 3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point25 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data