- Date
- June 17, 1991, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Camilla, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8549VRockwell S-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910617022189A
- Case key
- 8421
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Restricted exhaust valve movement, low cylinder compression, and fouling of the engine spark plugs, which resulted in the loss of engine power. Factors were the improper servicing of the aircraft, and the use of an improper fuel grade.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, the engine shuddered violently, then quit. The airplane was force landed straight ahead, and was substantially damaged by the ensuing collision with trees. Post-crash inspection of the engine revealed that the spark plugs were badly carbon fouled. No compression was observed on the number one cylinder, and compression on the remaining cylinders was only 'fair.' Disassembly of the number one cylinder revealed that the exhaust valve and seat were partially burned. A hammer was required to remove the valve from the cylinder. The piston was badly carboned. A mechanic reported that the operator was using automotive gasoline in this airplane, without an STC for its use.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8549V
- Reported as
- Rockwell S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2309
- Airframe hours
- 4,464
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 550 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Maxwell Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Maxwell Aviation, Inc.
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 18, 1990 · 273 hours before
- Airport
- CXU · Mitchell County, runway 8, 4,005 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABY, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.