Rockwell S2R accident near Cantua Creek, California, August 4, 1983
On August 4, 1983 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R, registered N8874Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cantua Creek, California. 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1983 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cantua Creek, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R
- Registration
- N8874Q · registry record · serial 1474R
- 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 PLT REPORT THAT WHILE HE WAS APPLYING SULFUR TO A TOMATOE FIELD, SULFUR DUST, WHICH HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE COCKPIT, IGNITED. HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN ADJACENT COTTON FIELD WHICH WAS MUDDY FROM IRRIGATION. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN WHEELS DUG INTO THE SOFT GROUND & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: 7,550 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,400 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 1982; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q77 Kerman CA at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from NLC, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N8874Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX83LA378.