- Date
- December 28, 1994, 18:00 local (Dec 29, 1994, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Yuma, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8455VRockwell S2R Thrush Cmdr
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941228043009A
- Case key
- 29004
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 forced landing due to an engine failure of the no.1 cylinder.
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
After completing an aerial application, the engine began to overspeed followed by flames coming from the exhaust. The pilot landed in a field damaging the aircraft. The engine continued to run for another 5 minutes before the pilot was able to extinguish the fire. Examination revealed that a section of the no.1 cylinder was missing from the engine.
Factual narrative
On December 28, 1994, at 1800 mountain standard time, the pilot of a Rockwell S2R Thrush Commander, N8455V, made a forced landing to a field after experiencing a loss of engine power after an aerial application near Yuma, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured.
Information from the pilot indicated the engine began to overspeed as he exited the field. Shortly afterwards, flames began to come out of the exhaust and top of the engine and over the canopy. The pilot made a forced landing and exited the aircraft. The engine continued to run for 5 minutes without the propeller turning with flames continuing to come from the engine. After the engine stopped running, the pilot proceeded to put out the fire with a handheld fire extinguisher.
Examination of the engine by the operator revealed a section of the No. 1 cylinder was missing and there was associated evidence of an engine fire. The engine had about 5,985 hours total time. There were about 120 hours time since the last inspection and 250 hours since overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8455V
- Reported as
- Rockwell S2R Thrush Cmdr (S2R THRUSH)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2215R
- Airframe hours
- 6,595
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ds Dusters
- Registered owner
- Ds Dusters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 25, 1994 · 300 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
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 12,500 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.