Ayres Corporation S2R T34 accident near Blythe, California, June 2, 2015
On June 2, 2015 at about 5:40 pm local time, a 1980 Ayres Corporation S2R T34, registered N4018Q, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Blythe, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2015 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Blythe, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres Corporation S2R T34 T34, built 1980 · all S2R T34s on the register
- Registration
- N4018Q · no longer on the register · serial T34-021
- 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 was conducting aerial application operations with the assistance of a spotter on the ground. The spotter saw the airplane fly over power lines along the perimeter of an adjacent field. The airplane then entered a nose-high attitude, consistent with the pilot's normal practice of pushing the chemical toward the spreader doors. The airplane continued to climb in a near-vertical ascent until reaching about 500 ft above ground level, after which the airplane entered a nose-low vertical descent that continued to ground contact. An examination of the wreckage revealed that all major components were accounted for at the accident site, and flight control continuity was established. No unusual meteorological phenomena were reported by the closest weather station or observed by witnesses to the accident. It is likely that, during the nose-high maneuver, the airplane exceeded its critical angle-of-attack and experienced an aerodynamic stall.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Morris Ag Air & Sons, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Blythe CA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: Blythe CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from BLH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on September 26, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maps and Diagrams | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe and Engine Exam Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Satloc Flight Data | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Satloc Accident Flight | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Satloc Raw Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 7 | Fuel Sample Analysis | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.