Ayres S2R-600 accident near Leland, Mississippi, August 26, 1987
On August 26, 1987 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Ayres S2R-600, registered N4002K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leland, Mississippi (Prather Farms Airstrip 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1987 · about 11:45 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Leland, Mississippi · Prather Farms Airstrip · 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
- N4002K · registry record · serial 2459R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT EN ROUTE TO A FIELD FOR AERIAL APPLICATION THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHEN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER CRACKED BETWEEN THE SPARK PLUG HOLES. WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND AT A SOD AIRSTRIP ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE LEFT SPRAY BOOM CONTACTED A SOY BEAN FIELD. CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE CRACK IN THE CYLINDER TO TIME IN SERVICE ON THE CYLINDER AND STATED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE.
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: 7,013 hours in all; 4,818 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 6,882 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,269 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 24, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 8,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4002K on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 64 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Mississippi 845 since 1982 · 90 in the last ten years
- Mississippi 2,604 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA87LA233.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.