Rockwell S-2R accident near Dumas, Arkansas, June 4, 1996
On June 4, 1996 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N3646X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dumas, Arkansas (Private airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of all personnel concerned to identify the unsafe/hazardous condition, which resulted from a visual restriction, due to trees near the intersection of the road and runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1996 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dumas, Arkansas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N3646X · no longer on the register · serial 2149R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after the airplane became airborne, the pilot saw a butane truck drive in front of him on a road that crossed the departure end of the runway. The pilot applied back pressure on the flight controls in an attempt to climb over the truck; however, the airplane's aft fuselage struck the truck, and the airplane then impacted the ground about 50 feet past the truck. Until moments before the accident, the driver of the truck and the pilot of the airplane were not able to see one another due to a line of 30 foot tall trees beside the road.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 8,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,370 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1995; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,640 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.