Rockwell S2R accident near Swifton, Arkansas, July 18, 1988
On July 18, 1988 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R, registered N8441V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Swifton, 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
- July 18, 1988 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Swifton, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R
- Registration
- N8441V · registry record · serial 2201R
- 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 PIC WAS CONDUCTING AG-SPRAY MANEUVERS DISPENSING LIQUID FERTILIZER TO RICE. DURING A PROCEDURE TURN TO RETURN TO THE FIELD THE ENG QUIT. THE PIC CHOSE AN OPEN FIELD ABT 60 DEGREES TO HIS RT TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIELD WAS WET, SOFT AND ROUGH. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, ROLLED A SHORT DISTANCE AND FLIPPED INVERTED. ENG FAILURE WAS LINKED TO A DETERIORATING CARBURETOR FLOAT SEAT, WHICH WAS ALSO CONTAMINATING THE FUEL SYSTEM WITH METALLIC DEBRIS. THE PIC WAS USING A MIXTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL TO OPERATE HIS AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,319 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1988; 229 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:31 pm from JBR, 15 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 N8441V 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.