Aero Commander S-2R accident near Pocahontas, Arkansas, May 31, 1986
On May 31, 1986 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Aero Commander S-2R, registered N8896Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pocahontas, 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
- May 31, 1986 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pocahontas, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S-2R · all S-2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8896Q · no longer on the register · serial 1496R
- 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 PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS HIS THIRD FLIGHT OF THE MORNING WITH A FULL LOAD OF FERTILIZER. REPORTEDLY, HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF AERIAL APPLICATION, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A SHORT FIELD ROAD. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE GROUND ROLL WAS FINE UNTIL THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A BIG ROCK AND HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT THRU A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR DUE TO AN INTERNAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
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: 29,800 hours in all; 4,800 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 1986; 155 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pocahontas AR at 12:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from JFR, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N8896Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.