Rockwell S2R-600 accident near Corcoran, California, February 18, 1991
On February 18, 1991 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R-600, registered N4930X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corcoran, 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
FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE'S FUEL PUMP VALVE ASSEMBLY BYPASS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1991 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Corcoran, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R-600
- Registration
- N4930X · no longer on the register · serial 2132R
- 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 AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND DURING TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD TO AN OPEN FIELD. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR SUNK INTO THE SOFT, WET SOIL CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND ENGINE ACCESSORIES DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE'S FUEL PUMP VALVE ASSEMBLY BYPASS HAD FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED FUEL STARVATION RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Salyer Farms Airport
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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 N4930X 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.