SEA84FA110

NTSB accident investigation · Rockwell S-2R · American Falls, ID · May 19, 1984

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
May 18, 1984, 20:00 local (May 19, 1984, 02:00 UTC)
Place
American Falls, ID
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N4865XRockwell S-2R
Weather
Dusk
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19840518019899A
Case key
39804

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering - aerial application
Light condition - duskFactor
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Clearance - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Visual/aural perceptionPilot in commandFactor
Lack of total experience in type of aircraftPilot in commandFactor

Analysis

The load/ground crew reported that the plt planned to make 1 more spray run before flying back to the home base. When the acft did not return to the loading area, they assumed he had returned to the base. They drove 20 mi back to the base, but found neither the acft nor the plt, S0 they returned to the spray area. The acft was found where it had crashed on rolling/hilly terrain (at dusk). An exam revealed the propeller had contacted the ground appx 386 ft west of the principal impact point. There was evidence that the left wing spray boom had intermittently contacted the ground in a 10 to 15 deg circular arc to the north. The left main gear then contacted the uneven terrain. Beyond that, the acft crossed a gully/ditch, impacted rising terrain & came to rest in an inverted position. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found. This was the plt's 1st spray mission for the operator. About 18 mi east at burley, ID, the 1845 MDT wx was in part: 200 ft partial obscured, 3000 ft broken.

Aircraft

Registration
N4865X
Reported as
Rockwell S-2R
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2060R
Engine
P&W R-1340-AN-L, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner
Ag Aero, Incorporated
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
100 hour · March 15, 1984 · 20 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
29
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Center
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
3,500 total · 6 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Dusk
Wind
260° at 8 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,000 ft broken
Temperature
63 °F, dew point 43 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
BYI, 18 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.

Other investigations on N4865X · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.