Ayres Corporation S2R-T34 accident near Fort Gaines, Georgia, February 15, 2013
On February 15, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1991 Ayres Corporation S2R-T34, registered N3095X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fort Gaines, Georgia (Coates 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 total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of debris in the fuel control unit.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Gaines, Georgia · Coates Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres Corporation S2R-T34, built 1991 · all S2R-T34s on the register
- Registration
- N3095X · registry record · serial T34-174
- 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 pilot reported that the airplane was topped off with 60 gallons of fuel prior to departure and that he applied a spray application to a field for about 30 minutes before returning to the airplane's home base. While enroute, the engine lost power and the pilot was unable to restart the engine. He then performed a forced landing in a field, during which both wings sustained substantial damage. After the accident, about 35 gallons of fuel remained in the left wing and 5 gallons remained in the right wing. Postaccident examination indicated that the left forward wing fuel line was partially blocked; the aft left and both right wing fuel lines were free of obstruction. Additionally, the fuel control unit was contaminated with debris. All other fuel system parts were free of obstructions. The left forward fuel line and fuel fitting were sent to the NTSB materials laboratory for examination and were found to be blocked with debris consistent with soil. The debris in the left forward wing fuel line alone would not have reduced fuel flow to the engine; however, the contamination of the fuel control unit likely would have reduced fuel flow sufficient to cause fuel starvation. The investigation was unable to determine the origin of the debris.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fuel starvation during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,737 hours in all; 1,845 in this make and model; 2,637 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 21, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,190 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 14, 2013; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 6,673 hours total
- Operator: Coates Flying Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: 79GA Fort Gaines GA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 79GA Fort Gaines GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from BIJ, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N3095X 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.