North American Rockwell Corp. S2R800 accident near Fallon, Nevada, May 4, 1983
On May 4, 1983 at about 2:00 pm local time, a North American Rockwell Corp. S2R800, registered N4985X, was destroyed in an accident near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1983 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American Rockwell Corp. S2R800
- Registration
- N4985X · no longer on the register · serial 5030R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY DURING TAKEOFF. THE ACFT HAD A FULL LOAD OF FUEL AND ABOUT 250 LBS. OF INSECTICIDE. THE ACFT HAD ATTAINED A SPEED OF 65 MPH AS THE END OF THE RWY WAS APPROACHED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE THE TAKEOFF BUT HE BEGAN DUMPING THE INSECTICIDE AND AT THE RWYS END HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN TOWARD A ROAD. AT THIS POINT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. TIRE MARKS 1 TO 1 1/2 INCHES DEEP WERE FOUND IN THE SOFT DIRT RWY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE RUN-UP CHECKS HAD BEEN PERFORMED WHILE ROLLING ON THE 3650 FT RWY. THE ARPT ELEVATION IS 3950 FT MSL.
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
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,650 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from NFL, 6 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.