Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Centro, California 92251
Tuesady, October 16, 1990 19:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A BRIGHT FLASH OUT OF THE EXHAUST PORTS OF THE ENGINE AND HEARD A LOUD BANG AT THE SAME TIME. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD AND AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 100 FEET THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH ONE TON BALES OF HAY. EXAMINATION AND TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION OR PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

COLLISION WITH A GROUND OBJECT AFTER THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY MADE A NIGHT TIME EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EL CENTRO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92251
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1900
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43797
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4001M
NTSB Number LAX91DUM02
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 S2RT-T34
Aircraft Series Identifier S2RT-T34
Aircraft Serial Number 6001
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 26 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 160
Airframe Hours 7322
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STOKER COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 907
Aircraft Owner City IMPERIAL
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92251
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STOKER CO.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 907
Operator City IMPERIAL
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92250
Operator Code LSWG
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1919
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --