Ayres S2R-R1820 accident near Essexville, Michigan, August 23, 1983
On August 23, 1983 at about 2:59 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-R1820, registered N4025R, was destroyed in an accident near Essexville, Michigan. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- August 23, 1983 · about 2:59 pm local time
- Place
- Essexville, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-R1820
- Registration
- N4025R · no longer on the register · serial R1820-020DG
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A SWATH RUN, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE & CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD. THE PLT RECEIVED A HEAD INJURY DURING THE ACCIDENT & WAS UNABLE TO RECALL DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, HE WAS ON A NORTHERLY RUN & WAS CROSSING UNDER THE POWER LINE WHEN A PORTION OF THE LEFT WING HIT A CABLE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD CONDUCTED A GROUND & IN-FLT SURVEY OF THE AREA PRIOR TO STARTING THE SPRAY 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,468 hours in all; 503 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 7,316 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 8,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-1820-97 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Munger MI at 3:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.