Ayres S2R-G10 accident near Brownfield, Texas, July 3, 2000
On July 3, 2000 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-G10, registered N4061H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownfield, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the blocked engine intake, which resulted from ingesting birds. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the pilot's intentional ground loop in an attempt to avoid a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2000 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brownfield, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-G10
- Registration
- N4061H · no longer on the register · serial G10-161
- 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 was conducting a spraying run when a flock of doves flew into the airplane's flight path. Numerous birds were ingested in the engine's intake resulting in a loss of engine power. The pilot elected to land the airplane in a cotton field with a tail wind because he did not have enough altitude to turn around. During the landing roll, the pilot intentionally ground looped the airplane to avoid a ditch alongside a road. The airplane went up on its nose, turned 180 degrees, and came to rest upright facing the opposite direction of landing.
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: 20,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE-337-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Everidge Aerial Farming, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: F98 Plains TX at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from LBB, 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.