Aero Commander S2R accident near Pierre, South Dakota, July 31, 2001
On July 31, 2001 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N5551X, was destroyed in an accident near Pierre, South Dakota. 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
clearance not obtained by the pilot. A contributing factor was the transmission line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2001 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 2001
- Place
- Pierre, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S2R · all S2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5551X · registry record · serial 1751R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane struck a transmission line while spraying a field. The pilot/owner of the agricultural operator made several passes under the transmission line prior to the strike. He stated that he was "a little high" when the airplane's rudder struck the transmission line tearing the rudder completely off and damaging the vertical stabilizer. He also added that he could not control the airplane following the strike and forced the airplane down in attempt to avoid hitting a house.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 41,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,479 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 2001; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340AN1 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIR Pierre SD at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PIR, 5 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5551X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aero Commander S2 60 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R1340AN1 64 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Pierre Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in South Dakota 469 since 1982 · 69 in the last ten years
- South Dakota 2,278 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI01LA251.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.