Rockwell S-2R accident near Palm City, Florida, July 12, 1988
On July 12, 1988 at about 10:45 am local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N8502V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm City, Florida (Citrus Grove airport). 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 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 12, 1988 · about 10:45 am local time
- Place
- Palm City, Florida · Citrus Grove
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N8502V · registry record · serial 2262R
- 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 STATED THAT HE LANDED LONG ON A DIRT AND GRASS ROAD. DURING LANDING ROLL, HE APPLIED HEAVY BRAKES TO STOP THE ACFT. THE ACFT SWERVED TO THE LEFT. HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE A/C WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND THE LEFT WING DUG INTO A DITCH.
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: 26,830 hours in all; 8,800 in this make and model; 194 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 26,690 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,285 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 26, 1987; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820-71 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,960 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 am from FPR, 20 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.