Ayres S2R-600 accident near Bad Axe, Michigan, August 14, 2000
On August 14, 2000 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-600, registered N3103B, was destroyed in an accident near Bad Axe, Michigan. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent stall/spin encountered by the pilot. A factor was the low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2000 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bad Axe, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-600
- Registration
- N3103B · no longer on the register · serial 2583R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was performing an aerial application flight when it impacted the ground while making a turn at the end of a spray pass. Witnesses to the accident reported that they saw the aircraft making a turn at the end of northbound pass. One of the witnesses reported that during the turn, "...the left wing dropped, nose went down, and the aircraft spun to the left." A second witness reported that, "...in the middle of the turn about that the plane seemed to be turning a little to[o] sharp. He was flying north turning to the west when about halfway is when it dipped real bad and made about 3/4 of a revolution and came nose first into the ground." The witness also stated that he did not hear a difference in engine sound when the accident occurred. A third witness reported that the aircraft, "...turned right then left at about 2/3 of the way around the plane seemed to turn real sharp then turned over and spiraled to the ground. A fourth witness reported that the aircraft was, "...spraying from south to north, and was in the process of making a turn to his left and was starting to come out of the turn when the plane started to roll or spin down. I could hear the engine thru out the spraying process and the sound of the engine never seem[ed] to change thru out this period." A postaccident examination of the aircraft did not reveal any anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,848 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2000
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allied Signal TPE 331-1 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BAX at 2:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 160°F (71°C), dew point 145°F (63°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:21 pm from BAX
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.