Ayres S2R-G10 accident near Dexter, New Mexico, July 22, 2006
On July 22, 2006 at about 5:09 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-G10, registered N3298Y, was involved in an accident near Dexter, New Mexico (Private airport). 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 pilot's failure to remain clear of the airplane's propeller resulting in the propeller contacting the pilot and causing fatal injuries to the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2006 · about 5:09 pm local time
- Place
- Dexter, New Mexico · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-G10
- Registration
- N3298Y · registry record · serial G10-118
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot of an agricultural airplane was fatally injured when he was struck by the propeller while exiting the airplane. The airplane was standing with the brakes set and the engine running. A local aerial application flight had just ended when the accident occurred. A witness at the airstrip said he and another attendant had just finished loading another airplane with chemicals when the accident airplane taxied up. The witness said he walked into the chemical shed to write up the work order on the previous airplane. The witness said he could still hear the accident airplane's engine running. He said he then heard an unusual noise and walked out to see what it was. The witness said he saw the pilot on the ground next to the airplane. The witness said he ran over to him and immediately saw the pilot had suffered severe head trauma. An examination of the airplane revealed no damage and no systems anomalies that could have contributed to the accident.
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: 13,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 14,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-10-511 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dexter NM
- Destination: Dexter NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from ROW, 8 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 N3298Y 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.