Rockwell S-2R accident near Crowder, Mississippi, July 9, 1990
On July 9, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N8464V, was destroyed in an accident near Crowder, Mississippi. 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
FATIGUE FAILURE OF A BOLT WHICH SECURES THE MIXTURE AND THROTTLE BELLCRANKS TO THE BELLCRANK SUPPORT ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crowder, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N8464V · no longer on the register · serial 2378R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH, THE PLT ADDED POWER BUT THE ENG DID NOT RESPOND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE RWY. THE LT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED & PUNCTURED THE FUEL TANK. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. EXAM OF THE ENG COMPARTMENT REVEALED THAT A BOLT WHICH SECURES THE MIXTURE & THROTTLE BELLCRANKS TO THE BELLCRANK SUPPORT ASSY, FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THIS PREVENTED THROTTLE CONTROL INPUT IN THE COCKPIT FROM ACTIVATING THE CARBURETOR.
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: 7,136 hours in all; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 7,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,866 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Lambert Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MMS Marks MS at 8:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from GWO, 42 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.