Aero Commander S2R accident near Hoople, North Dakota, July 18, 1993
On July 18, 1993 at about 2:00 am local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N5635X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hoople, North Dakota. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1993 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Hoople, North Dakota · map
- 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
- N5635X · no longer on the register · serial 1835R
- 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 STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER DURING A SPRAY RUN. HE RELEASED THE LOAD AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LANDING ON A NEARBY ROAD. HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE ROAD AND LANDED IN A WHEAT FIELD, NOSING OVER. THE #3 CYLINDER WAS FOUND CRACKED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,589 hours in all; 2,459 in this make and model; 9,429 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,308 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 1993; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-ANI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ND59 St. Thomas ND at 1:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Observation at 1:00 am from GFK, 45 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.