Prather Farms Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leland, Mississippi 38756
Wednesday, August 26, 1987 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT EN ROUTE TO A FIELD FOR AERIAL APPLICATION THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHEN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER CRACKED BETWEEN THE SPARK PLUG HOLES. WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND AT A SOD AIRSTRIP ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE LEFT SPRAY BOOM CONTACTED A SOY BEAN FIELD. CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE CRACK IN THE CYLINDER TO TIME IN SERVICE ON THE CYLINDER AND STATED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LELAND
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38756
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRATHER FARMS AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 130
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 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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1453
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34822
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4002K
NTSB Number MIA87LA233
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-600
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R-600
Aircraft Serial Number 2459R
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 Dec 24 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4269
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLARK FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 917
Aircraft Owner City LELAND
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38756
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLARK FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O.BOX 917
Operator City LELAND
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38756
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1843
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 Descent
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 18
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --