Ayres S2R-1820 accident near Palmer, Alaska, August 22, 1998
On August 22, 1998 at about 4:30 am local time, a Ayres S2R-1820, registered N123GA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska (Whittaker Farm airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1998 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Whittaker Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-1820
- Registration
- N123GA · registry record · serial 1340-026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of the flight, the pilot was landing on a farm airstrip. The airstrip had a high standing crop of barley adjacent to the airstrip. During the landing roll, the right wing spray boom contacted the crop, and the airplane pivoted to the right. The airplane received damage to the left wing leading edge, the aileron, and wing ribs.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 6,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright 1820-97 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAQ at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.