Aero Commander S2R accident near Firebaugh, California, September 18, 2004
On September 18, 2004 at about 8:47 am local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N8822Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Firebaugh, California. 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 failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from high tension wires in dark night conditions. The reason for the loss of engine power after the wire collision was not determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2004 · about 8:47 am local time
- Place
- Firebaugh, California · 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
- N8822Q · registry record · serial 1522R
- 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 collided with high-tension wires while the pilot was performing an aerial application pass over crops. As the pilot was applying agriculture spray to the fields below, he maneuvered the airplane underneath the high-tension wires in the area. After finishing a field, he configured the airplane in a climb, and the airplane collided with the high-tension wires. The engine experienced a loss of power and the pilot made a forced landing in an almond orchard. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
- Flight time: 12,354 hours in all; 12,250 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Firebaugh CA
- Destination: Firebaugh CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N8822Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.