Ayres S-2C accident near Greeley, Colorado, June 29, 1982
On June 29, 1982 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Ayres S-2C, registered N1648S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeley, Colorado (Platte Valley airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 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
- June 29, 1982 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Platte Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S-2C
- Registration
- N1648S · no longer on the register · serial 6001204C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT NOTICED THE OIL TEMP WAS INCREASING & THE ENG BEGAN LOSING POWER AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ANY ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE. HE CONTINUED FLYING FOR ANOTHER 15 MINUTES WHEN THE ENG FAILED COMPLETELY. THE ENG TEARDOWN & INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CAM REDUCTION GEAR BUSHINGS, NOSE CASE PARTS & ENG SHOWED SIGNS OF OIL STARVATION. THE MASTER ROD BEARING HAD SEIZED. THE CAM REDUCTION GEAR HAD BROKEN & THE CAM SHAFT DAMAGED. THE MAIN CASES, RODS & PISTONS WERE DAMAGED. THE OIL PUMP WAS FOUND OPERATIONAL.
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: 3,170 hours in all; 2,170 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 2,920 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,097 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 11V Lasalle CO at 9:20 am
- Destination: Ron Cook Farm CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from DEN, 25 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.