- Date
- July 30, 1993, 07:15 local (12:15 UTC)
- Place
- Elaine, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8842QRockwell S-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930730027191A
- Case key
- 18800
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
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance of water spraying and the resultant power loss. A factor was unsuitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
During the initial takeoff climb, the pilot flew the airplane through a pivoting water irrigation system. Water ingestion caused the turbine engine to flame out. During the forced landing, the airplane landed across the cotton furrows in the wet field. An examination of the engine revealed water ingestion damage.
Factual narrative
On July 30, 1993, at 0715 central daylight time, a Rockwell S-2R, N8842Q, sustained substantial damage near Elaine, Arkansas, during a forced landing. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight.
The pilot reported to the Safety Board that following takeoff the airplane passed through water from a pivoting irrigation system at the end of the airport. He further stated that the water ingestion into the turbine engine caused the engine to flame out. During the forced landing to the wet field and cross furrows, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop.
According to an enclosed repair facility report, engine damage was "typical of water ingestion and thermal damage."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8842Q
- Reported as
- Rockwell S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2339R
- Airframe hours
- 4,139
- Engine
- Garrett TPE331-1-101Z, 665 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Riddell Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 17, 1993 · 80 hours before
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 11,800 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 110 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 40 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.