Rockwell S2R accident near O'Brien, Florida, July 24, 1988
On July 24, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R, registered N4222X, was destroyed in an accident near O'Brien, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 24, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- O'Brien, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R
- Registration
- N4222X · no longer on the register · serial 1981R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO SPRAY A SOYBEAN FIELD ABOUT 1/2 MI N OF THE AIRSTRIP. THERE ARE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE CRASH, BUT A PERSON IN THE AREA HEARD THE ENG 'POP', THEN ENG SOUND CEASED; SECONDS LATER THE SOUND OF IMPACT WAS HEARD. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GRND IN A NOSE DOWN, SLIGHT LEFT-WING-LOW ATTITUDE, COMING TO REST IN THE IMPACT CRATER, SUGGESTING A SLOW FORWARD SPEED & HIGH VERTICAL RATE OF DESCENT. THERE WERE NO OTHER GRND CONTACT POINTS. THE HOPPER BURST ON IMPACT & THE LANATE SPRAYED OUT AHEAD OF THE ACFT IN A FAN SHAPED PATTERN. THE PLT'S SEAT BELT & SHOULDER HARNESS WEBBING FAILED IN OVERLOAD & THE PLT WAS EJECTED FROM THE ACFT. THE RESTRAINTS WERE WEATHERED & BLANCHED IN APPEARANCE. THE PROP SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ROTATION, HOWEVER, AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE FUEL TANKS HAD RUPTURED BUT THERE WAS A LACK OF FUEL ODOR. THE FUEL LINES, FUEL SELECTOR AND FUEL PUMP CONTAINED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL. THE CARBURETOR WAS BROKEN.
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: 1,050 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1988; 150 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: 24J at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from GNV, 45 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.