Rockwell S2R THRUSH CMDR accident near Yuma, Arizona, December 29, 1994
On December 29, 1994 at about 1:00 am local time, a Rockwell S2R THRUSH CMDR, registered N8455V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yuma, 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
a forced landing due to an engine failure of the no.1 cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1994 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Yuma, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R THRUSH CMDR S2R THRUSH
- Registration
- N8455V · no longer on the register · serial 2215R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER COMPLETING AN AERIAL APPLICATION, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERSPEED FOLLOWED BY FLAMES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A SECTION OF THE NO.1 CYLINDER WAS MISSING FROM THE ENGINE.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 12,500 as pilot in command; 290 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,595 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1994; 300 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.