Rockwell S-2R accident near Columbus, New Mexico, August 21, 1997
On August 21, 1997 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N4893X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, New Mexico. 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
a loss of engine power due to failure of an exhaust side rocker box and valve mechanism, and pilot incapacitation due to loss of consciousness after being struck in the head by parts separating from the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1997 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N4893X · no longer on the register · serial 2078R
- 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 airplane impacted terrain following a loss of engine power while maneuvering. The pilot stated 'on the final pass [he] pulled up out of the field and initiated a turn towards Deming, when an object came through the right corner windshield striking [him] in the head,' rendering him unconscious. A witness who was approximately 1 mile from the accident site stated that he saw the airplane 'flying straight and then nose into the ground.' The witness did not hear any engine noises. Several workers, in a nearby field, reported that they observed the airplane pull out of the field and start to turn, when the engine quit. The owner examined the engine and determined that the exhaust side rocker box and exhaust valve mechanism had broken off the number 7 cylinder. There was a 'deep groove' on the back side of a propeller blade. The owner stated that the rocker box could have been ejected from the engine and contacted a propeller blade which deflected the rocker box into the cabin.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1997; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DMN Deming NM at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°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.