Ayres S2R accident near Letcher, South Dakota, June 22, 1994
On June 22, 1994, a Ayres S2R, registered N3102E, was destroyed in an accident near Letcher, South Dakota (Mj Aviation, INC 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
the loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine driven fuel pump and shaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1994
- Place
- Letcher, South Dakota · Mj Aviation, INC · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R
- Registration
- N3102E · no longer on the register · serial R1340-023
- 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 a loss of engine power immediately after takeoff. He made a forced landing and departed the end of the runway. The airplane was destroyed in the ensuing fire. Investigation revealed broken vanes in the engine driven fuel pump and a sheared fuel pump shaft.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,081 hours in all; 610 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 2,998 as pilot in command; 202 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,201 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1994; 197 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340/S3HI-G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from HON, 29 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.