- Date
- July 17, 1993, 21:00 local (Jul 18, 1993, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hoople, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5635XAero Commander S2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930717024239A
- Case key
- 9148
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
A loss of engine power due to a cracked engine cylinder.
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 stated that the engine began to run rough and lose power during a spray run. He released the load and attempted to make a landing on a nearby road. He was unable to reach the road and landed in a wheat field, nosing over. The #3 cylinder was found cracked.
Factual narrative
On July 17, 1993, at 2100 central daylight time (CDT), an Aero Commander S2R, N5635X, registered to Mid Continent Aircraft Corp., Hayti, Missouri, sustained substantial damage in a forced landing near Hoople, North Dakota. The airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power while the pilot was conducting aerial application operations under 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight originated at St. Thomas, ND, at 2040 CDT.
The pilot stated the engine began to run rough during a spray run. He said he released the load and attempted to make a landing on a nearby road, but did not have sufficient power to make it to the road. He landed in a wheat field, and the airplane nosed-over during landing roll.
The examination of the engine revealed the number 3 cylinder was cracked.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5635X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander S2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1835R
- Airframe hours
- 7,308
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-ANI, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Darrel C. Bjornson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 17, 1993 · 71 hours before
- Departed
- ND59 · St. Thomas, ND
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,589 total · 2,459 in this make and model · 9,429 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Observed at
- GFK, 45 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.