Snow S2C accident near Bowie, Arizona, October 17, 1991
On October 17, 1991 at about 4:28 pm local time, a Snow S2C, registered N1625S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowie, Arizona. 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 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LANDING. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1991 · about 4:28 pm local time
- Place
- Bowie, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Snow S2C · all S2Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1625S · no longer on the register · serial 1180C-600
- 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 PILOT WAS LANDING ON A DIRT AIRSTRIP AFTER COMPLETING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. ABOUT 150 FEET AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DUST DEVIL AND IT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 15-FOOT DITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE LANDING GEAR AND LEFT WING. WIND CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT TO BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE UNTIL THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE DUST DEVIL.
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: 20,000 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Bowie AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.
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.