Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Corning, Arkansas 72422
Saturday, June 14, 1997 10:17 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The left wing of an agricultural airplane separated in flight while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. A witness observed the left wing of the airplane falling to the ground and the 'airplane cork screwing to the ground.' The left wing came to rest 90 yards from the tree line, with the main wreckage coming to rest approximately 289 yards beyond the left wing. A metallurgical examination of the fractured wing revealed that the separation of the lower spar cap was the result of a fatigue crack that emanated from the 1/4 inch diameter hole for the center splice fitting. The examination also revealed that the tensile strengths for the left wing spar cap was lower that that specified in the engineering drawing provided by the manufacturer. A review of the airframe records revealed that Ayres Service Bulletin No. SB-AG-39 ('Wing Spar Inspection and Fatigue Life Extension'), issued 17 September 1996, had not been complied with by the operator. This SB included procedures for accomplishing a magnetic particle inspection around the lower spar cap's bolt holes.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The in-flight separation of the left wing as result of fatigue crack of the lower spar cap due to inadequate materials by the manufacturer. A factor was the operator's failure to comply with a published service bulletin on the airframe.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/14/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1017 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | CORNING |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72422 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1249 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 185 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JBR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 262 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 34 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1200 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1166 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 14 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1150 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3103D |
| NTSB Number | FTW97FA220 |
| 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-T34 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | S2R-T34 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | T34-153 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8100 |
| 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 21 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 200 |
| Airframe Hours | 4668 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | EUEL AND DANNY HATLEY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 36 |
| Aircraft Owner City | DELAPLAINE |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72425 |
| 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 | |
| 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) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | DELAPLAINE |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 945 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| 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 | -- |