Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Oracle, Arizona 85215
Friday, June 14, 1996 8:22 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot configured the aircraft to drop fire retardant over a fire with a planned downhill turn to the left after the release, so as to avoid rising bowl type terrain to the right. He did not release the retardant, when over the fire as expected; instead, he raised the flaps, added power, and turned to the right. During the right turn, he was close to a stall and reportedly encountered a downdraft. He rolled wings level to control a collision with the ground. He did not use the emergency release handle to drop the load. The aircraft was operating near its maximum gross weight, and the density altitude was about 7,700 feet. Examination of the drop system, including the emergency release mechanism, did not indicate a malfunction or failure. A witness flying overhead observed that the aircraft entered the right turn into the bowl area with an estimated airspeed of about 60 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper decision to turn toward rising terrain, without releasing or jettisoning the load of fire retardant, while maneuvering at slow airspeed, which resulted in a stall/mush and collision with the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the proximity of rising terrain, and high density altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/14/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 822 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | ORACLE |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85215 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 7800 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 598 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 14 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1110 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4006K |
| NTSB Number | LAX96LA230 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Ayres |
| Aircraft Model | S2R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | S2R |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2501-R |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8700 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 5 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 42 |
| Airframe Hours | 540 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MARSH AVIATION INT'L, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5060 E FALCON DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | MESA |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85205 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | ILIG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Unknown |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Unknown |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Unknown |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FFZ |
| Departure City | MESA |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | E77 |
| Destination City | SAN MANUEL |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |