# NTSB MIA02LA135: Aero Commander S2R, N8943Q, Cochran, GA, July 17, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 17, 2002, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC) - Place: Cochran, GA - Coordinates: 32.373611, -83.358886 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3736&lon=-83.3589&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 6, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FSDO FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 55230 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA135 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55230/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55230 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA135 ## Probable cause A loss of power while conducting aerial application to cotton crops due to failure of a magneto housing, and the resultant emergency descent and landing to an unsuitable field, causing the collision with a tree. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - aerial application - ignition system,magneto - cracked - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - none suitable (cause) - object - tree(s) ## Analysis After about 45 minutes of aerial application to cotton crops, following the third pass on his second field, the pilot reported his engine started backfiring and shaking violently. He started for his home field, but could not sustain level flight. He chose a cotton field for an emergency landing, but his right wing struck a tree causing damage to the wing and main landing gear. Post crash examination of the engine revealed a broken magneto housing, causing defective ignition timing. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 2002, about 0800 eastern daylight time, an Aero Commander, (formerly Ayers) S2R, N8943Q, registered to Middle Georgia Aviation, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, crashed in the vicinity of Cochran, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the commercially-rated pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. The flight departed the Cochran Airport about 0715. According to the pilot, shortly after he began spraying cotton, during his pull-up, he heard a "bang" and his engine started backfiring and running erratically. The engine would not produce enough power to sustain flight, and he elected to perform an emergency landing in an adjacent cotton field. The right wing struck a tree on the edge of the field, resulting in a sideward slide that collapsed the landing gear. According to an FAA inspector, the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right wing and landing gear as a result of the collision with the tree during the emergency landing. Examination of the engine revealed that a crack in the magneto casing caused the erratic operation and backfiring that would result in a loss of power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8943Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8943Q-2005-09-27), registration cancelled 2005-09-27, S/N 1613R, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aero Commander S2R - Registry model: [Aero Commander S2R](https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-s2r) (registry code 0143022) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1613R - Airframe hours: 1201.1 - Engines: Pezetel 35R 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Middle Georgia Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, September 7, 2001, 185.6 hours before - Departed: 48A, Cochran, GA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 15, 2001; seat: center; flight hours: 4,455 total, 850 in this make and model, 4,311 as pilot in command, 115 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: MCN, 21 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 20020717020169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020717020169A), Jul 17, 2002: Ayres S2R, Cochran, GA, No damage. (-23) Upon further investigation of engine found engine magneto case busted, which would confirm pilot's story of total power lost. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55230. 353 KB in all. - Reports from Federal Agencies-FAA Inspector's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463115&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies-FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 312 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463116&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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.