Rockwell S-2R accident near Camilla, Georgia, June 17, 1991
On June 17, 1991 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N8549V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camilla, Georgia (Mitchell County airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
RESTRICTED EXHAUST VALVE MOVEMENT, LOW CYLINDER COMPRESSION, AND FOULING OF THE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS WERE THE IMPROPER SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE USE OF AN IMPROPER FUEL GRADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1991 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Camilla, Georgia · Mitchell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N8549V · registry record · serial 2309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SHUDDERED VIOLENTLY, THEN QUIT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY THE ENSUING COLLISION WITH TREES. POST-CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE BADLY CARBON FOULED. NO COMPRESSION WAS OBSERVED ON THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER, AND COMPRESSION ON THE REMAINING CYLINDERS WAS ONLY 'FAIR.' DISASSEMBLY OF THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST VALVE AND SEAT WERE PARTIALLY BURNED. A HAMMER WAS REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE VALVE FROM THE CYLINDER. THE PISTON WAS BADLY CARBONED. A MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE OPERATOR WAS USING AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE IN THIS AIRPLANE, WITHOUT AN STC FOR ITS USE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,464 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1990; 273 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Maxwell Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,005 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 am from ABY, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.