Rockwell S-2R accident near West Helena, Arkansas, December 8, 1984
On December 8, 1984 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N8503V, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Helena, Arkansas. 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
- December 8, 1984 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Helena, Arkansas · 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
- N8503V · no longer on the register · serial 2263R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON DEPARTING WEST HELENA ARPT THE PLT REDUCED PWR TO A CRUISE PWR SETTING. THE ENGINE RESPONDED TO THE PWR REDUCTION BUT THEN THE TORQUE DROPPED TO ZERO. THE ACFT DESCENDED STRIKING THE GROUND. INSPECTION AND TESTING OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL CONTROL UNIT DID NOT REVEAL ANY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. SOME DEBRIS WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL CONTROL INLINE FILTER WHICH RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW.
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: 10,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 10,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,522 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1984; 332 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: West Helena AR at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:30 am
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.