GAA19CA283

NTSB accident investigation · Rockwell S2R · Grangeville, ID · May 24, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 24, 2019, 06:30 local (13:30 UTC)
Place
Grangeville, ID
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N5569XRockwell S2R
Defining event
Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 13, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190524005099A
Case key
99492

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while turning at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Findings · 3

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.

Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededAero Commander S2R: 1 caseAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAero Commander S2R: 5 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationAero Commander S2R: 1 caseAll aircraft: 594 cases

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, during a practice agricultural application flight and after overflying the field, he pulled up hard to avoid a tall tree. He leveled out for about 3/4 mile to build airspeed and initiated a turn to overfly the field again. During the turn, the airplane began to buffet, and the pilot knew it was a "pending stall." He pushed the stick forward, and the airplane descended, so he pulled back on the stick again, and the airplane buffeted. He pushed the stick forward, the main landing gear tires contacted the ground, and the airplane became airborne again. The airplane was approaching power lines, so the pilot banked left, but the airspeed decreased, and the airplane then aerodynamically stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings. 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, during a practice agricultural application flight with water, after overflying the field, he pulled up hard to avoid a tall tree. He leveled out for about ¾ of a mile to build airspeed and initiated a turn to overfly the field again. During the turn the airplane began to buffet, and the pilot knew it was a "pending stall." He pushed the stick forward, descended, so he pulled back on the stick again and the airplane buffeted again. He pushed the stick forward again, the main landing gear tires contacted the ground and the airplane became airborne again. The airplane approached power lines, the pilot banked left, the airplane "lost air speed" and aerodynamically stalled, and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station, located about 4 miles east of the accident site, reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 4 knots. The pilot reported that after he exited the airplane, he realized that there was a tailwind at an estimated speed of 10 to 15 mph. The pilot was flying to the east.

Aircraft

Registration
N5569X
Reported as
Rockwell S2R (No Series)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1769R
Built
1973
Airframe hours
9,824.1
Engine
Walter M601E-11, 760 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · January 1, 2019
Departed
S84 · Cottonwood, ID
Destination
S84 · Cottonwood, ID
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
47
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 28, 2019
Seat
Single
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
974 total · 368 in this make and model · 974 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 43 °F
Altimeter
29.80 inHg
Observed at
KGIC, 4 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.