Ayres Corporation S2R-T34 accident near Three Rocks, California, September 1, 2023
On September 1, 2023 at about 2:15 am local time, a 1996 Ayres Corporation S2R-T34, registered N61373, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Three Rocks, California (None - Private Farm Strip 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s exceedance of the critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2023 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Three Rocks, California · None - Private Farm Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ayres Corporation S2R-T34, built 1996 · all S2R-T34s on the register
- Registration
- N61373 · registry record · serial T34-216
- 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 reported that the airplane’s hopper had been loaded with 300 gallons of water. During the takeoff roll, the airplane did not accelerate as expected so he initiated the emergency dump procedure to jettison the water. The airplane became airborne and the pilot maintained a high angle of attack to climb over trees near the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently experienced an aerodynamic stall, descended into an adjacent field, and impacted terrain. The left wing, right aileron, and elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot said he suspected the airplane performance was affected by density altitude and he reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,610 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 7,450 as pilot in command; 1,124 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 23, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,692 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 11, 2023; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-34 (turboprop); 3,977 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 43CN Corcoran CA at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KNLC, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KNLC 010156Z 24015KT 10SM FEW060 FEW200 34/00 A2963 RMK AO2 SLP033 FU FEW060 RH/11 T03390000=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR23LA333.