Ayres Corporation S2R-600 accident near Kahlotus, Washington, November 2, 2011
On November 2, 2011 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Ayres Corporation S2R-600, registered N1206S, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Kahlotus, Washington. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the ground due to his distraction with programming a global positioning system receiver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 2011 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Kahlotus, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres Corporation S2R-600 · all S2R-600s on the register
- Registration
- N1206S · registry record · serial 2470R
- 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; he had just completed an application and was proceeding to another nearby field. He diverted his attention to reprogram the cockpit global positioning system (GPS) receiver and failed to retrim the airplane with nose-up trim. While the pilot was reprogramming the GPS receiver, the airplane entered a shallow descent and impacted the top of a small hill.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 11,000 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett Type 331-252M (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Faunce Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Kahlotus WA
- Destination: Kahlotus WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR12CA026.