Ayres S2R-600 accident near Tranquillity, California, September 9, 1992
On September 9, 1992 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-600, registered N5674X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tranquillity, California. 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 IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING; HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE; AND THE EXCESSIVE DESCENT. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE DUE TO OVERLOAD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1992 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tranquillity, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-600
- Registration
- N5674X · no longer on the register · serial 2433R
- 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 WAS CONDUCTING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT OVER AN ALFALFA FIELD. THE PILOT HAD TO FLY OVER TREES AND DESCEND TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE ON THE SPRAY PATH. THE PILOT SET UP A HIGH DESCENT RATE WHICH HE COULD NOT ARREST. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN, COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND GROUND LOOPED.
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: 4,196 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 4,114 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,369 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1992; 436 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Western AG Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°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.
Other NTSB records under N5674X 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.