- Date
- May 24, 2012, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Royal City, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8468VRockwell International S-2R
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120524009579A
- Case key
- 83758
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
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from an object during an aerial application, which resulted in damage to the landing gear and led to the airplane ground looping during the subsequent landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During an aerial application pass, the pilot mistakenly descended the airplane too early and struck a pipe on a center pivot irrigation system. As a result, the left main landing gear sustained damage, and the pilot flew the airplane back to the airport to land. The pilot stated that the airplane ground looped upon touchdown due to the damaged landing gear. The airplane's left wing was damaged during the ground loop. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to striking the object.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to perform an aerial application on a wheat field. During a pass, he mistakenly descended the airplane too early and struck a pipe on a center pivot irrigation system. As a result, the left main landing gear sustained damage, and the pilot flew the airplane back to the airport to land. Upon touchdown, the airplane ground looped due to the damage incurred by the landing gear. The airplane's left wing was damaged during the landing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to striking the object.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8468V
- Reported as
- Rockwell International S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2228R
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Royal Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Royal Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 8WA · Royal City, WA
- Destination
- 8WA · Royal City, WA
- Airport
- 8WA · Royal Flying Service, runway 27, 2,500 × 24 ft, gravel
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 713 total · 302 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.
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 N8468V · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.