Ayres S2RHG-T65 accident near Guaviare, CO, January 7, 1997
On January 7, 1997 at about 11:03 am local time, a Ayres S2RHG-T65, registered N3100U, was destroyed in an accident near Guaviare. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance while maneuvering at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1997 · about 11:03 am local time
- Place
- Guaviare, Colombia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres S2RHG-T65
- Registration
- N3100U · registry record · serial T65-005DC
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was on a drug eradication mission involving 2 flights of 2 aircraft. The navigation equipment data card aboard the airplane revealed that the airplane had descended and leveled off at 630 feet mean sea level at a speed of 202 mph. The airplane was at 633 feet msl and at a speed of 198 mph when aerial application ceased. The next three data points (at a 2 second sampling rate) showed that the airplane had descended to 617 feet msl and the speed was 197 mph. Initial impact was with a tree in excess of 100 feet in height. The elevation at the crash was estimated to be about 400 to 500 feet MSL. The tree line observation was about 600 feet MSL. There was no evidence of the aircraft having been struck by any type of weapons 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: 5,519 hours in all; 217 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,831 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 27, 1996; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,873 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-65B (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OF at 10:48 am
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.