Rockwell S 2R N4250X

Summary

On 28 March 2019 at about 21:53 local time, a Rockwell S 2R registered N4250X, operated by AG Specialties INC., was involved in an accident near Hermiston, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 2019 at 21:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Hermiston, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Hermiston Muni (HRI)

Coordinates

45.8200, -119.2808

Aircraft

Rockwell S 2R

Registration

N4250X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

AG Specialties INC.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hermiston → Hermiston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA185

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's distraction due to a spray handle opening and his improper pitch trim setting during final approach, which resulted in an excessive pitchdown when he took his hand off the controls to close the handle.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after completing an agricultural application flight, he returned to the airport. He added that, on final, he added flaps and became distracted by a spray handle that became open due to vibration. He took his hand off the control stick to close the spray handle, but because the airplane was improperly trimmed, the airplane pitched down severely. He pitched the nose up to about level, but the main landing gear struck the ground. The airplane bounced and impacted an irrigation system, the right main landing gear separated, and the airplane spun around before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.