Rockwell S-2R-1200 N4947X

Summary

On 10 July 2001 at about 18:14 local time, a Rockwell S-2R-1200 registered N4947X, operated by Craigmont Air Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Cottonwood, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 July 2001 at 18:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Cottonwood, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

45.9401, -116.5210

Aircraft

Rockwell S-2R-1200

Registration

N4947X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Craigmont Air Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Craigmont → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01FA127

1 person died.

Failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain while dropping fire retardant. Factors include low visibility with smoke.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane, loaded with approximately 450 gallons of fire retardant, was directed to work the fire's east flank. A witness on the ground stated the airplane approached from the southwest, near the top of the canyon. He reported that initially he didn't see the airplane, but could only hear it flying down the east flank of the fire. Shortly thereafter, he reported seeing a "big ball of fire" and thought the pilot must have hit something. A second witness reported seeing the accident airplane approach the fire from the south. He stated that as the airplane approached the fire, the pilot reported that "...it was [too smoky] and he was going around to try again." Shortly thereafter, ground crews reported that the airplane had crashed. Post accident evaluation of the aircraft wreckage revealed no evidence of a pre-impact failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.