Accident Details
On August 18, 2025, at approximately 0944 EST, a Thrush Aircraft LLC S2R-T660, registration N7001B, was substantially damaged during a landing at Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany, Georgia. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a production flight test.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that the first two landings of the day were uneventful. On the third landing, while in a two-wheel landing configuration with the tail descending, the left master cylinder failed. The airplane swerved to the right at high speed. As it departed the runway, the left tire separated from its rim. The bare rim dug into the runway surface and then into the adjacent dirt, causing the tail to pivot around the left main landing gear. The side load force resulted in the left main gear separating from the airplane during the ground loop. The propeller and left wing struck the ground, and the airplane came to a stop. The pilot then shut down the engine and secured the airplane.
Previous Incident
Three days before this accident, during a production flight test in the same airplane, the left brake master cylinder failed after touchdown, causing the airplane to depart the runway. That incident resulted in only damage to the left main landing gear tire and was not reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at the time, nor was it investigated.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Thrush Aircraft LLC S2R-T660, equipped with a single turbine engine and designed for agricultural and utility operations. It was being operated for a production flight test at the time of the accident.