Ayres S2R accident near Firebaugh, California, February 18, 2005
On February 18, 2005 at about 4:11 pm local time, a Ayres S2R, registered N4009M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Firebaugh, California (Firebaugh Airport). 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
the loss of engine power during takeoff climb resulting from the fatigue failure of one of the compressor turbine blades; the cause of the fatigue failure could not be definitively determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2005 · about 4:11 pm local time
- Place
- Firebaugh, California · Firebaugh Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R
- Registration
- N4009M · no longer on the register · serial 6012
- 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 airplane impacted soft muddy terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power shortly after departure. The pilot departed with a full load of fertilizer and climbed above several transmission wires before the engine lost power. The airplane pitched down in a nose-low configuration and dove toward terrain. The engine's most recent inspection occurred about 2 months prior to the accident. The logbook entry for that inspection stated that the mechanic performed a hot section inspection at which time the compressor turbine (CT) disk was reinstalled with 3,595 cycles remaining. A post accident examination of the engine revealed that a CT blade had failed in fatigue initiating in the fir tree root. Near the fatigue origin, no surface damage was observed and no material anomalies were found on the fracture surface; the reason for the fatigue failure was never definitively determined. The blade was likely manufactured under a Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA). The Safety Board Materials Laboratory reported that the chemistry of the fractured blade appeared to be consistent with the PMA specified alloy and not to the material specification the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) utilizes. A review of the Safety Board database revealed an instance of a very similar failure on an OEM manufactured CT blade. Evidence of recent marijuana use was found on toxicological evaluation, and the pilot might have been impaired ..." It is not clear whether this impairment adversely affected the pilot's actual actions during his response to the loss of engine power.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,193.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F34 Firebaugh CA at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MAE, 19 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.
Other NTSB records under N4009M 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.