Aero Commander S2R accident near Graceville, Minnesota, July 14, 1982
On July 14, 1982 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N3690X, was destroyed in an accident near Graceville, Minnesota. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1982 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Graceville, Minnesota
- 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
- N3690X · no longer on the register · serial 1908R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT TO A FIELD WITH POWER LINES ALONGSIDE. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM THE SOUTHEAST A 6, GUSTING 11 KTS. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ENCOUNTERED "DEAD AIR" WHILE HE WAS IN HIS FOURTH PORCEDURE TURN. DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE POWER LINES, HE ADDED POWER AND STEEPENED HIS TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE STALLED AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED AND WAS DAMAGED BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR.
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: 3,722 hours in all; 1,933 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,550 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Graceville Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: Graceville MN
- Destination: Graceville MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.