Ayres BULL THRUSH accident near Americus, Georgia, August 4, 1990
On August 4, 1990 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Ayres BULL THRUSH, registered N4025Q, was destroyed in an accident near Americus, Georgia (Jones Private 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
FAILURE OF THE ENGINE MAIN OIL LINE WHICH ALLOWED THE ENGINE OIL TO BE IGNITED BY THE HOT ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1990 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Americus, Georgia · Jones Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres BULL THRUSH BULL THRUS
- Registration
- N4025Q · no longer on the register · serial R1820-019DC
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE SECOND SPRAY OPERATION OF THE MORNING HE SMELLED RUBBER BURNING. THE AIRPLANE WAS DIVERTED TO A NEAR BY FIELD AND LANDED. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING THE AIRPLANE. GROUND FIRE DEMOLISHED THE AIRPLANE. AN FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE MAIN OIL LINE APPARENTLY SPLIT AND SPILLED OIL ON THE ENGINE WHICH IGNITED. THE ENGINE HAD 250 HOURS SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION.
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
- Flight time: 4,196 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,113 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1990; 250 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,710 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Curtis Wright 1820-97 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.