Ayres S2R-G10 accident near Leesburg, Georgia, March 29, 2000
On March 29, 2000 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-G10, registered N4089Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Georgia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance during a spray pass resulting in the in-flight collision with the raised rows of the field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2000 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2R-G10
- Registration
- N4089Q · registry record · serial G10-163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the second spray pass, the main landing gears and the spray pump contact 6-8 inch raised rows at a 45-degree angle separating the left main landing gear and the spray pump. The pilot applied aft elevator input and cleared trees ahead but while climbing, he noted that the propeller stopped. The airplane then impact in an open field west of the first impact location. A witness reported seeing, 'lots of black smoke' from under the airplane during the climb after the ground contact. The pilot has a SODA due to no vision in his right eye. Examination of the engine at the manufacturer's facility with FAA oversight revealed that the propeller shaft coupler was fractured; no evidence of preimpact failure was noted when the coupler was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory. Examination of the engine and engine controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the engine was modified/overhauled and installed in the newly manufactured airplane on August 24, 1999. The airplane had accumulated approximately 29 hours since manufacture at the time of the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 24,500 as pilot in command; 15,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-10-511 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dry Branch Farms, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 2:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from ABY
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.