Ayres S2R accident near Drayton, North Dakota, July 20, 1991
On July 20, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Ayres S2R, registered N8988Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Drayton, North Dakota (Sanderson 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
THAT THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM ANY PREFLIGHT PLANNING, AND DID NOT USE THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Drayton, North Dakota · Sanderson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R
- Registration
- N8988Q · registry record · serial 1488R
- 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 AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF FOR AN AGRICULTURAL FLIGHT AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT REACH TAKEOFF SPEED, AND THAT HE HAD MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD MADE NO PREFLIGHT PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS. THE RUNWAY WAS 2,600 FOOT GRASS STRIP. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 3,700 FEET.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 7,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bonanza Valley Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from GFK, 40 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.