Rockwell S-2R accident near Colquitt, Georgia, August 25, 1998
On August 25, 1998 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N5506X, was destroyed in an accident near Colquitt, Georgia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, and his failure to maintain adequate clearance of known equipment, resulted in the collision with the field irrigation system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1998 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Colquitt, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N5506X · no longer on the register · serial 5076R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arriving at the cotton field, the pilot completed his first swath. During the second swath run, the pilot noticed irrigation equipment in the same field. The pilot stated he diverted his attention from the irrigation equipment and continued the swath run. When the pilot returned his scan to the irrigation equipment, he realized he was too close to fly over it, although he tried to, the airplane struck the equipment. The airplane was destroyed by the crash and post crash fire. The pilot stated that the airplane was running fine and that he misjudged the distance to the irrigation equipment.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,851 hours in all; 1,359 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,795 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 29, 1998; 3 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34AE (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Colquitt GA at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from DHN, 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.