# NTSB CEN24LA229: Aero Commander S2R, N1746S, White, SD, June 13, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 13, 2024, 15:55 local (20:55 UTC)
- Place: White, SD · Open field
- Coordinates: 44.515727, -96.736499 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5157&lon=-96.7365&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Rapid City FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194490
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA229
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194490/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194490
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA229

## Probable cause

A low-level collision and engine ingestion with ducks, which resulted in a total loss of engine power, a forced landing, and a subsequent nose over.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Engine (turbine/turboprop)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200/cases.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200/cases.md)
- [Engine (turbine/turboprop)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200/cases.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057200/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Aero Commander S2R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=0143022), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was performing a low-level aerial application flight, applying liquid chemical to a rural pasture. As the airplane was climbing out of the pasture, a flock of ducks flew in front of the airplane at about 30 ft agl. Several seconds later, the turboprop engine quit producing thrust. The pilot checked the engine gauges to verify the total loss of engine power, he moved the power lever forward, and he performed a forced landing from about 80 ft agl to a grass field straight ahead. An emergency hopper dump was not performed prior to landing. During the landing, the airplane’s main landing gear sunk into the wet ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot egressed from a broken window on the left-side of the cockpit, as the right-side cockpit door was jammed from the mud. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount, fuselage, empennage, and the right wing. Prior to the collision and engine ingestion with ducks, the operator reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination confirmed the duck remains were from a Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), which is classified as a large dabbling duck. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) gender-typing confirmed that both male and female Mallard remains were found in the wreckage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1746S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1746S), registered now, S/N 1446R, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERO COMMANDER S2R (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Aero Commander S2R](https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-s2r) (registry code 0143022) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1446R
- Year built: 1968
- Airframe hours: 11798
- Engines: Honeywell TPE331-6 840 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Wilde Air Service LLC, doing business as Wilde Air Service LLC
- Registered owner: Wilde Air Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2024, 59 hours before
- Departed: BKX, Brookings, SD
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 22, 2024; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 5,496.3 total, 1,757.1 in this make and model, 5,239.5 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: KBKX, 13 nm away
- METAR: KBKX 132056Z AUTO 32010KT 10SM CLR 27/09 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP153 T02670089 51012

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20240613005769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240613005769A), Jun 13, 2024: Aero Commander S2R, Brookings, SD, Substantial damage. On June 13, 2024, at 1555 (local CDT), an Aero Commander, model S2R aircraft [privacy data omitted]by a commercial spray company was working NE of brooking, SD…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194490. 14.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17292923&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N1746S%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 8 pages, 4.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17293760&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N1746S%20-%20Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- FAA bird strike report form 5200-7 (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17293403&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N1746S%20-%20FAA%20Form%205200-7-Rel.pdf
- Smithsonian institution feather identification laboratory - report (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17398927&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA229%20-%20Smithsonian%20Institution%20Letter_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Additional accident information (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 140 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17293770&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N1746S%20-%20Additional%20Information_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- South dakota hunting and trapping handbook excerpt - mallard (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17326103&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=South%20Dakota%20Hunting%20and%20Trapping%20Handbook%20Excerpt%20-%20Mallard-Rel.pdf
- Aero commander S2R AFM excerpts - emergency procedures (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 6.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17293470&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N1746S%20-%20Aero%20Commander%20S2R%20AFM%20Excerpts-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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