Ayres S2R accident near Winterhaven, California, February 16, 1994
On February 16, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Ayres S2R, registered N4003W, was destroyed in an accident near Winterhaven, California (Jackson Agstrip 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winterhaven, California · Jackson Agstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R
- Registration
- N4003W · no longer on the register · serial 2471R
- 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 STATED THAT HE SMELLED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT DURING TAKEOFF, AND ALSO NOTICED AN ACCOMPANYING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AFTER A MOMENTARY POWER SURGE, THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT THEN JETTISONED HIS LOAD OF WATER AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A NEARBY ROAD, BUT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED OR ALTITUDE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT PANCAKED ONTO AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD, BOUNCED, AND SLID TO A STOP. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED HE OBSERVED FIRE COMING FROM BOTH THE ENGINE AND ACCESSORY COMPARTMENTS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH AN ONBOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. ALL ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUEL SYSTEM LINES AND COMPONENTS WERE DESTROYED IN THE POSTCRASH FIRE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 290 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,628 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1993; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,902 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-59 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Ds Duster AG Services, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.