# NTSB LAX08LA193: Snow S2C, N1661S, Glenn's Ferry, ID, June 24, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 24, 2008, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Glenn's Ferry, ID - Coordinates: 42.857498, -115.372497 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8575&lon=-115.3725&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 6, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 68314 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08LA193 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68314/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA193 ## Probable cause Failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate airspeed resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin while maneuvering. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Snow S2C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=8380206), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Snow S2C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8380206), [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: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Snow S2C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=8380206), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Snow S2C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8380206), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis While in a holding pattern circling to land, witnesses saw the left wing drop and the airplane start to spin in a counterclockwise direction before hitting the ground in a 60-degree nose-low attitude. Witnesses reported that the airplane was between 500 to 600 feet above the ground when it entered the spin. Examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of a malfunction or failure that would have affected normal operation. An engine inspection and teardown found damage throughout the entire engine consistent with the production of power at the time of impact. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 24, 2008, about 0730 mountain daylight time, a Snow S2C, N1661S, impacted terrain while maneuvering to land about 6 miles south of Glenn's Ferry, Idaho. Valley Air Service, Inc., operated the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 137 as an agricultural crop dusting operation. The commercial pilot was killed; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight had departed Hubler Field Airport (ID00), Caldwell, Idaho, about 0600 the morning of the accident, and was destined for Glenn's Ferry. According to the chief pilot, the field to be sprayed was in Glenn's Ferry, and the operation had been set up as a flight of two airplanes. As one airplane was spreading the dry fertilizer, the other airplane would be reloading with the fertilizer and refueling. The chief pilot and the accident pilot were flying the day of the accident, and had arrived at the accident location about an hour prior. The operation had been in progress for about 1 hour when the accident occurred; each pilot had dropped 3 loads prior to the accident. The chief pilot was on the ground having his airplane refueled and reloaded, when the accident occurred. During the reload he was able to observe the accident airplane as it circled overhead waiting for him to take off, so that the accident airplane could land. The chief pilot stated that the accident airplane was circling to the left. He saw the left wing fall and then the airplane started to spin in a counterclockwise direction. He then watched as the airplane struck the ground in a flat attitude. The chief pilot and an additional witness estimated the accident airplane to be about 500 to 600 feet above the ground when the left wing dipped and it spun to the ground. The airplane made three 360-degree revolutions before impacting the ground in a 60-degree nose low attitude. Due to the engine noise in his airplane, the chief pilot was not able to hear the accident airplane. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The 21-year-old certificated commercial pilot held ratings for single and multi-engine land airplane, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land and instrument airplane. The pilot held a second-class medical issued on March 27, 2008, with no limitations. The pilot had been employed by Valley Air Service for about 2 years. The operator stated that the pilot had accumulated about 140 hours in the accident airplane make and model for the 2008 season. They estimated he had about 2,000 hours of total flight time. No personal flight records were recovered for the pilot. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION A Pratt and Whitney R-985 engine was originally installed on the 1964 Snow S2C airplane. In 1980, the engine was replaced with a Pratt and Whitney (P&W) PT6 per Civil Aeronautics Manual (CAM) 8 authority. In 1997, the current P&WPT6-20B, serial number PCE 21794, was installed on the airplane. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The chief pilot reported the weather conditions as clear, with winds from 270 degrees at 15 knots on the surface. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the site. The airplane came to rest in an open field. The entire airplane was contained within the main wreckage. He reported that all three of the propeller blades remained attached to the propeller assembly. One propeller blade was broken at the tip and was bent back about midspan. Another propeller blade had some chordwise scratching at the tip, with minor s-bending through the span of the blade. The last propeller blade was buried in the dirt with s-bending and chordwise scratching evident along the length of the blade. He was able to establish flight control continuity. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION The Elmore County Coroner's Office, Mountain Home, Idaho, performed the autopsy on June 25, 2008. The manner of death was listed as blunt force trauma due to an aircraft accident. The FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed a toxicological analysis from samples obtained during the autopsy. The toxicological results were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and tested drugs. TEST AND RESEARCH The FAA inspector, along with a representative from P&W, performed a field evaluation of the engine. They found no mechanical anomalies with the engine. The examination report is contained in the public docket for this report. The engine was shipped to Pratt and Whitney - Canada's facility in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, for further examination under the supervision of Transportation Safety Board - Canada. They found contact signatures to the compressor 1st stage blades and shroud, the compressor turbine shroud, the compressor turbine, the power turbine guide vane ring, the inter-stage baffle, the power turbine shroud, and the power turbine, which the manufacturer reported are characteristic of the engine producing power at the time of impact. P & W personnel stated that there were no indications of any pre impact mechanical anomalies. A detailed report of the examination is contained in the public docket for this report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1661S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1661S-2011-03-09), registration cancelled 2011-03-09, S/N 1221C, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Snow S2C - Registry model: [Snow S2C](https://openairdocs.org/model/snow-s2c) (registry code 8380206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1221C - Airframe hours: 15825.9 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6-20B 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Valley Air Service Inc. - Registered owner: Valley Air Service Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 4, 2008, 1,801.6 hours before - Departed: Glenn's Ferry, ID - Destination: Glenn's Ferry, ID - Airport: Private farm airstrip ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; injuries: fatal; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 28, 2007; seat: single; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,000 total, 140 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: MUO, 25 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080624839939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080624839939A), Jun 24, 2008: Ayres S2C, Glenns Ferry, ID, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. Pilot was operating from a closed gravel road (noble rd.) with another pilot in the aerial application of a dry fertilizer to a mint field. At the time of the… ## Other investigations on N1661S (1) 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. - [NTSB OAK68D0246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK68D0246), Dec 2, 1967: Snow S2C (N1661S), Tranquillty, CA, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.