Rockwell S-2R accident near Americus, Georgia, July 22, 1992
On July 22, 1992 at about 11:15 am local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N8541V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Americus, Georgia. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A CRACK IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER. A FACTOR WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN AT THE FORCED LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1992 · about 11:15 am local time
- Place
- Americus, Georgia · 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
- N8541V · no longer on the register · serial 2300R
- 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 AG PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORCE LANDED IN A SOYBEAN FIELD AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED ON THE SOFT TERRAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HAD CRACKED NEAR THE BASE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE ENGINE HAD ABOUT 127 HOURS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,143 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1992; 127 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACJ Americus GA at 11:15 am
- Destination: ACJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 am from ABY, 35 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.