Ayres S2R-T15 accident near Grantsville, Maryland, May 31, 1987
On May 31, 1987 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-T15, registered N40184, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grantsville, Maryland. 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 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
- May 31, 1987 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grantsville, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-T15
- Registration
- N40184 · registry record · serial T15-006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS SECOND IN A FLT OF THREE SPRAYING FOREST AREA WITH DIMILIN WHEN IT CONTACTED A POWER LINE SUSPENDED BETWEEN TWO HILLTOPS. THE PROP SEVERED THE SINGLE STRAND OF CABLE AND SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PLT MANEUVERED FOR AN EMGCY LNDG, JETTISONED THE CHEMICALS, AND EXTENDED FLAPS. THE ACFT OVERSHOT A CLEARING AND THE ACFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACCD MAY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF BETTER RECON HAD BEEN DONE PRIOR TO THE SPRAYING OPERATION.
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: 1,005 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,142 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1987; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-135 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2G4 Oakland MD at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from MRB, 52 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.
Other NTSB records under N40184 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.