Ayres S2R-600 accident near Evergreen, Alabama, April 17, 1982
On April 17, 1982 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-600, registered N4008H, was destroyed in an accident near Evergreen, Alabama (Middletown airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1982 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Evergreen, Alabama · Middletown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-600
- Registration
- N4008H · registry record · serial 2520R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE SKIPPED ONCE, POPPED, THEN QUIT COMPLETELY WITH NO OTHER WARNING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER A WOODED AREA AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN THE TREES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 740 LBS ABOVE THE MAXIMUM AUTHORIZED GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF AND WAS OVERWEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DUMPED HIS CHEMICAL LOAD PRIOR TO THE CRASH. ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO DRIVE GEAR SHAFT, P/N 10538, SHEARED APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH AFT OF THE DRIVE GEAR. THE SHAFT IS NECESSARY TO DRIVE THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND THE LEFT MAGNETO.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,458 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 1,278 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,340 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dixieland Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 39J Evergreen AL at 6:10 am
- Destination: 39J Evergreen AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from MGM, 60 miles away
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.