Ayres Corporation S2R T34 N4018Q accident near Blythe, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was conducting aerial application operations with the assistance of a spotter on the ground. The spotter saw the airplane fly over power lines along the perimeter of an adjacent field. The airplane then entered a nose-high attitude, consistent with the pilot's normal practice of pushing the chemical toward the spreader doors. The airplane continued to climb in a near-vertical ascent until reaching about 500 ft above ground level, after which the airplane entered a nose-low vertical descent that continued to ground contact. An examination of the wreckage revealed that all major components were accounted for at the accident site, and flight control continuity was established. No unusual meteorological phenomena were reported by the closest weather station or observed by witnesses to the accident. It is likely that, during the nose-high maneuver, the airplane exceeded its critical angle-of-attack and experienced an aerodynamic stall.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR15LA176 for the full record.