Ayres S2R-T15 accident near Cordell, Oklahoma, October 5, 1991
On October 5, 1991 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-T15, registered N4008S, was destroyed in an accident near Cordell, Oklahoma. 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
INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR WAS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS WERE EXCEEDED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1991 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cordell, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-T15
- Registration
- N4008S · registry record · serial T15-002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL PILOT TOOK OFF WITH AN AIRPLANE THAT EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT BY 464 POUNDS. AFTER COMPLETING AN AERIAL APPLICATION PASS, HE WAS OBSERVED EXECUTING AN ABRUPT PULL UP PRIOR TO TURNING TO REVERSE DIRECTION. THE PITCH OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESTIMATED AT 65 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON. THE EXCESSIVE ANGLE OF ATTACK RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED AS THE NOSE PITCHED STRAIGHT DOWN TO IMPACT IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. A FIRE ENGULFED THE AIRPLANE AFTER IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE WAS 264 POUNDS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF 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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,718 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1990; 611 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-15AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Eakly OK at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.