- Date
- March 28, 2019, 14:53 local (21:53 UTC)
- Place
- Hermiston, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4250XRockwell S 2R
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190328002089A
- Case key
- 99194
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 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.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, after completing an agricultural application flight, he returned to the airport. He added that, on final, he added flaps and became distracted by a spray handle that became open due to vibration. He took his hand off the control stick to close the spray handle, but because the airplane was improperly trimmed, the airplane pitched down severely. He pitched the nose up to about level, but the main landing gear struck the ground. The airplane bounced and impacted an irrigation system, the right main landing gear separated, and the airplane spun around before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, after completing an agricultural spraying flight, he returned to the airport. He added that, on final, he added flaps and became distracted by a spray handle that became open due to vibration. He took his hand off the control stick to close the spray handle, but because the airplane was improperly trimmed, the airplane pitched down severely. He pitched the nose up to about level, but the main landing gear struck the ground. The airplane bounced onto an irrigation system, the right main landing gear separated, and the airplane spun around before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4250X
- Reported as
- Rockwell S 2R (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2030R
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 19,154.9
- Engine
- GE M601E-11, 751 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- AG Specialties INC.
- Registered owner
- Pesicka, Theodore J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2019
- Departed
- HRI · Hermiston, OR
- Destination
- HRI · Hermiston, OR
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- HRI · Hermiston Muni, runway 05, 4,501 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 12,744 total · 11,749 in this make and model · 12,633 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KHRI, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 24, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4250X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.