Aero Commander S2R accident near Alamo, Texas, February 9, 2021
On February 9, 2021 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1974 Aero Commander S2R, registered N5679X, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Alamo, Texas (Mid-Valley Dusters Inc 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
The partial loss of engine power due to water-contaminated fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2021 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alamo, Texas · Mid-Valley Dusters Inc Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S2R, built 1974 · all S2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5679X · registry record · serial 1879R
- 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 departed for the aerial application flight and noticed an abnormal engine sound as the airplane reached an altitude of about 25 ft above ground level. Concerned that the engine could lose power over obstacles further along the departure leg that included a high traffic highway and a low power line, the pilot elected to make an immediate precautionary landing. During the landing roll, both wings sustained substantial damage due to impact with trees. During postaccident examination of the engine, a small amount of water was observed in the rear carburetor bowl; therefore, it is likely that water-contaminated fuel resulted in a temporary loss of engine power and the abnormal engine sound reported by the pilot. An engine run was conducted with no anomalies noted.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fuel contamination during prior to flight defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,845 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 19,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 19, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,028 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 AN-1 (piston); 6,546 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 43TX Alamo TX at 11:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 1,900 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMFE, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN21LA133.