Rockwell S-2R N8424V

Summary

On 8 March 2023 at about 00:11 local time, a Rockwell S-2R registered N8424V, operated by Jones Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Willows, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 March 2023 at 00:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Willows, California, United States

Coordinates

39.4995, -122.2852

Aircraft

Rockwell S-2R

Registration

N8424V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Jones Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willows → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23FA122

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines while flying under multiple conductors during a low-altitude aerial application flight, which resulted in propeller contact with a powerline and a subsequent loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a routine agricultural flight to spray multiple orchards. Recorded onboard GPS data showed that after spraying three fields, he flew to an almond orchard where he made numerous north-to-south passes over the target area in a racetrack pattern at speeds of about 160 mph, and an altitude of about 135 ft above ground level (agl). Several seconds after he sprayed an area adjacent to a set of 130 ft tall power transmission lines that ran parallel to his flight pattern, he made one more lap in the pattern. The data ceased when the airplane was at the south end of the field while turning north, likely several seconds before impact. The airplane subsequently impacted a powerline and came to rest about 500 ft northeast of the point of initial impact, which was a powerline next to a tower. Postaccident examination revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller signatures indicated that the propeller was rotating at moderate to high power when it impacted the powerline. The powerline was found wrapped around at least one blade and the propeller hub. A witness recount suggests that the accident took place several seconds after the last flight data point. The pilot was familiar with this orchard and was likely not fatigued at the time. In addition, the position of the sun at the time of the accident would not have been a factor. Although a recount of the pilot’s flying habits indicated he was unlikely to have flown beneath the powerlines, the pilot struck the inside wire between two towers at about the lowest point, which suggests he flew under the powerlines. Thus, the accident was the result of the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines while attempting to fly beneath multiple conductors during a low-altitude aerial application flight, which resulted in propeller contact with a powerline and a subsequent loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.