Ayres S2R-T34 accident near Willows, California, May 21, 2003
On May 21, 2003 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-T34, registered N5653X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willows, California (R & D Farms 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
A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during an aerial application.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2003 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Willows, California · R & D Farms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-T34
- Registration
- N5653X · no longer on the register · serial 1853r
- 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 commercial pilot was making a steep turn during an agricultural aerial application when the airplane's engine lost power. He made a forced landing in a field, and in the process, the airframe received structural damage. The pilot said he had ground crew fuel the left tank of the airplane with the engine still running. He completed three loads, with each load cycle taking about 12 minutes. He then performed a steep turn of about 70-degrees to complete one last pass. About 400 above ground level, the engine lost power and he was unable to restart it. He landed the airplane in the field below, and the airplane skidded about 100 feet and nosed over. The person who recovered the airplane did not observe any fuel in the airplane fuel tanks, or at the accident site.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 8,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,539.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 2003; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 98CL Willows, R&D CA at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; a few clouds
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from OVE
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.