- Date
- March 10, 1994, 20:45 local (Mar 11, 1994, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Tacna, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4977XRockwell S-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940310007189A
- Case key
- 28693
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
a catastrophic internal engine failure for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the dark nighttime lighting conditions.
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
The pilot had finished the aerial application mission and was returning to the airstrip. The engine began to lose oil pressure and power and the pilot diverted to a dirt airstrip on a mesa, which is not equipped with runway lights. As the aircraft neared the dirt airstrip, the engine seized. The pilot touched down adjacent to the dirt runway and a wing collided with a berm. The operator reported that the engine sustained a catastrophic internal failure. No apparent cause was reported for the failure. The night was dark with no moon for illumination.
Factual narrative
On March 10, 1994, at 2045 mountain standard time, a Rockwell S- 2R, N4977X, collided with a berm while landing at a dirt agricultural airstrip near Tacna, Arizona. The aircraft was operated by Schmit Aviation, Inc., of Yuma, Arizona, and was engaged in aerial application operations under 14 CFR 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the nighttime flight and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Tacna, Arizona, at 2015 hours on the day of the mishap for a local area spraying mission.
According to the operator, the pilot had finished the aerial application mission and was returning to the airstrip. The engine began to lose oil pressure and power and the pilot diverted to a dirt airstrip on a mesa, which is not equipped with runway lights. As the aircraft neared the dirt airstrip, the engine seized. The pilot touched down adjacent to the dirt runway and a wing collided with a berm.
The operator reported that the engine sustained a catastrophic internal failure. No apparent cause was reported for the failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4977X
- Reported as
- Rockwell S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5022R
- Airframe hours
- 4,843
- Engine
- Wright R-1820-97, 1,200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Schmit Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Schmit Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 9, 1994 · 3 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 11,136 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 10,500 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
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 N4977X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.