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20190328002089A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Rockwell International S-2R · Hermiston, OR · March 28, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 28, 2019 · 14:53 local
Place
Hermiston, OR
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
QKJG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4250X
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA19CA185
Reported as
Rockwell International S-2R
Reported engine
GE M601E-11
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
12,744 total11,749 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days
N4250XRegistered now · Rockwell International S-2RS/N 2030R · Built 1974Airframe modelRockwell International S-2REngine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On Thursday, March 28, 2019, a Rockwell International S-2R, registered as N4250X, was involved in an accident approx. ¾ of a mile west of runway 4 at Hermiston municipal airport (khri) in Hermiston, Oregon. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.

privacy data omitted

The pilot explained that he was returning from a part 137 aerial application and was on final approach to runway 4 at khri. During his return to the airport, he stated that he was having trouble with the aircraft?s spray system, specifically a stuck open spray valve. The pilot explained he had inputted nose down trim to descend and was controlling the flaps with his left hand while his right hand was on the aircraft?s control stick. On approach, he further explained that he took his right hand off the control stick to close the spray handle. At that moment, the aircraft pitched down and entered a rapid descent. The pilot said that he was able to pitch the aircraft to a nose up attitude but did not have enough altitude to arrest the descent. The aircraft struck an agricultural center pivot and came to rest in a field.

Preliminary weather report from khri indicates the following:

At 21:53 zulu time (14:53 local time)

METAR khri 282153Z auto 00000KT 10SM clr 15/02 A3011 rmk AO2 SLP196 T01500022=

As the FAA filed it

ON THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019, A ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL S-2R, REGISTERED AS N4250X, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT APPROX. ¾ OF A MILE WEST OF RUNWAY 4 AT HERMISTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KHRI) IN HERMISTON, OREGON. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS RETURNING FROM A PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION AND WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 4 AT KHRI. DURING HIS RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, HE STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE AIRCRAFT?S SPRAY SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY A STUCK OPEN SPRAY VALVE. THE PILOT EXPLAINED HE HAD INPUTTED NOSE DOWN TRIM TO DESCEND AND WAS CONTROLLING THE FLAPS WITH HIS LEFT HAND WHILE HIS RIGHT HAND WAS ON THE AIRCRAFT?S CONTROL STICK. ON APPROACH, HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT HE TOOK HIS RIGHT HAND OFF THE CONTROL STICK TO CLOSE THE SPRAY HANDLE. AT THAT MOMENT, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN AND ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS ABLE TO PITCH THE AIRCRAFT TO A NOSE UP ATTITUDE BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN AGRICULTURAL CENTER PIVOT AND CAME TO REST IN A FIELD.

PRELIMINARY WEATHER REPORT FROM KHRI INDICATES THE FOLLOWING:

AT 21:53 ZULU TIME (14:53 LOCAL TIME)

METAR KHRI 282153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 15/02 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP196 T01500022=

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA19CA185Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportHermiston, ORThe pilot's distraction due to a spray handle opening and his improper pitch trim setting during final approach, which resulted in an excessive pitchdown when he took his hand off the controls to close the handle.Mar 28, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4250X · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20030721015849AFinal Approach · Hermiston, OR(-23) Aircraft lost power due to usable fuel being depleted. Aircraft landed approximately 3/4 of a mile short of the runway striking a large rock with the left main gear.Jul 21, 2003 · Substantial damage