Ayres S2R-134 accident near Kerman, California, July 30, 2005
On July 30, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-134, registered N4003Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kerman, California (None 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 pilot's failure to obtain an adequate airspeed during an attempted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kerman, California · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-134
- Registration
- N4003Z · no longer on the register · serial 6007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll on the agricultural flight, the airplane failed to become airborne prior to rolling off the departure end of the runway, becoming entangled with bushes, and nosing over. The pilot had previously performed five spray flights from the dirt airstrip without mishap. The airplane had been reloaded and hot refueled between the flights. For the accident takeoff, the chemical load had been reduced from 350 gallons to 300 gallons at the pilot's request because the ambient air temperature was warming up. No mechanical malfunctions occurred with the airplane during the flight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mid Cal Ag Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Kerman CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Kerman CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- 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.