Aero Commander S2R accident near Hobart, Oklahoma, March 19, 1999
On March 19, 1999 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N5647X, was destroyed in an accident near Hobart, Oklahoma. 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
The loss of engine power due to an undetermined reason. A factor was the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1999 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hobart, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S2R · all S2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5647X · no longer on the register · serial 1847R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, at lift off speed, the engine backfired smoke and flame from the exhaust port. The pilot shut down the engine and braked to a stop; however, the airplane struck a ditch and the main landing gear collapsed. While exiting the aircraft, the pilot noticed black smoke coming from the accessory compartment. The airplane was subsequently destroyed by fire. Fire damage prevented a determination of the cause for a loss of engine power. Two days prior to this accident the pilot had experienced a loss of engine power and landed in a field. He assessed that it was possibly a carburetor float or seat sticking. On the day of the accident, the pilot replaced the carburetor and restarted the engine. There were no discrepancies found during the ground check.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,973 hours in all; 485 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1999; 36 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: NONE at 11:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°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.