Avres CORP. S-2R accident near Kettleman City, California, April 16, 1982
On April 16, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Avres CORP. S-2R, registered N5672X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kettleman City, California (Duster Strip 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kettleman City, California · Duster Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Avres CORP. S-2R
- Registration
- N5672X · no longer on the register · serial 2454R
- 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 STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS FAULTY SO HE FLEW BY TIME. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE BATTERY ON THE PILOT'S ELECTRIC WATCH RAN DOWN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD WITH HIS WATCH STILL SHOWING HE HAD 20 MINUTES OF FUEL REMAINING.
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: 4,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,896 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kettleman City CA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Kettleman City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 160°F (71°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.