Aero Commander S2R accident near Ashburn, Georgia, October 5, 1994
On October 5, 1994 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N8971Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashburn, 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
THE FAILURE OF A BLADE COUNTERWEIGHT BEARING SHAFT, ALLOWING ONE PROPELLER BLADE TO GO TO HIGH PITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1994 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ashburn, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S2R · all S2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8971Q · no longer on the register · serial 1641R
- 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 COMMERCIAL PILOT HAD COMPLETED SPRAYING OPERATIONS ON A COTTON FIELD. AS HE WAS LEAVING THE AREA, HE BEARD A 'BANG' OR 'PING' SOUND, AUDIBLE ABOVE THE ENGINE NOISE. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE, AND ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A COTTON FIELD, AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE RESULTED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BOGGED DOWN IN THE COTTON PLANTS. A POST- ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED A BLADE COUNTERWEIGHT BEARING SHAFT HAD FAILED, ALLOWING ONE OF THE BLADES TO GO TO HIGH PITCH.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,684 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1994; 277 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 75J at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 75J GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from ABY, 30 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.