Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brownfield, Texas 79316
Monday, July 3, 2000 13:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was conducting a spraying run when a flock of doves flew into the airplane's flight path. Numerous birds were ingested in the engine's intake resulting in a loss of engine power. The pilot elected to land the airplane in a cotton field with a tail wind because he did not have enough altitude to turn around. During the landing roll, the pilot intentionally ground looped the airplane to avoid a ditch alongside a road. The airplane went up on its nose, turned 180 degrees, and came to rest upright facing the opposite direction of landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to the blocked engine intake, which resulted from ingesting birds. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the pilot's intentional ground loop in an attempt to avoid a ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BROWNFIELD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79316
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID LBB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3281
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5904
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) 338
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4061H
NTSB Number FTW00LA192
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AYRES
Aircraft Model S2R-G10
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R-G10
Aircraft Serial Number G10-161
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name G. B. AERIAL APPLICATIONS
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 462
Aircraft Owner City PLAINS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79355
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EVERIDGE AERIAL FARMING, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City PINEHURST
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code UGDG
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 F98
Departure City PLAINS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:07AM
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 --