- Date
- September 15, 1990, 04:05 local (11:05 UTC)
- Place
- Yuma, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4165XRockwell S-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900915039579A
- Case key
- 26547
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
Failure of the pilot to select a cruise altitude which would ensure adequate clearance from obstructions. A factor in the accident was the dark night which inhibited the pilot's ability to see the obstruction.
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
According to the pilot, he departed from the jackson ag strip at about 0400 hours after loading chemicals to be sprayed on a field about 15 miles to the east. The night was dark with no moon visible. The pilot selected 300 feet AGL as a cruise altitude during the flight to the field. The pilot stated that he thinks he encountered a stronger than expected cross wind which blew him about one mile off course. The aircraft struck an unlighted 'h' frame power line support structure at a power station.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4165X
- Reported as
- Rockwell S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1936R
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Dms Ag Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 19, 1989 · 303 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Bard, CA
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
- 46
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 7,976 total · 1,469 in this make and model · 7,858 as pilot in command · 116 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 135° at 7 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.