Ayres S2RT-T34 accident near El Centro, California, October 17, 1990
On October 17, 1990 at about 2:20 am local time, a Ayres S2RT-T34, registered N4001M, was destroyed in an accident near El Centro, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
COLLISION WITH A GROUND OBJECT AFTER THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY MADE A NIGHT TIME EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1990 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- El Centro, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2RT-T34
- Registration
- N4001M · registry record · serial 6001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A BRIGHT FLASH OUT OF THE EXHAUST PORTS OF THE ENGINE AND HEARD A LOUD BANG AT THE SAME TIME. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD AND AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 100 FEET THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH ONE TON BALES OF HAY. EXAMINATION AND TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION OR PROBLEM.
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: 33,000 hours in all; 15,000 in this make and model; 432 in the last 90 days; 216 in the last 30 days; 32,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,322 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 26, 1990; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stoker CO.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.