Rockwell S2R accident near Carthage, Illinois, July 18, 2008
On July 18, 2008 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R, registered N8466V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Carthage, Illinois (Carthage (Closed 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 pilot failed to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident were the uneven runway, the runway edge, and the cornfield.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2008 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carthage, Illinois · Carthage (Closed Airport) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R
- Registration
- N8466V · registry record · serial 2226R
- 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 reported that he had departed from the private airstrip on two previous agricultural aerial application flights. During the next takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left when it passed the center crown in the runway. He reported that the main wheel "caught" a deep rut at the runway edge. The airplane went off the runway and the left wing impacted a cornfield, which spun the airplane around. The landing gear, propeller, and empennage sustained substantial damage. The airport used by the pilot was a privately owned, paved airstrip used only by agricultural spray aircraft.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area condition › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Advantage INC
The flight
- Departed from: Carthage IL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N8466V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.