Aero Commander S-2R accident near Alicia, Arkansas, June 1, 1990
On June 1, 1990 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Aero Commander S-2R, registered N8940Q, was destroyed in an accident near Alicia, Arkansas (Walnut Ridge airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTIAN AIRSPEED DURING THE TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION FOR A SWATH RUN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1990 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Alicia, Arkansas · Walnut Ridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S-2R · all S-2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8940Q · registry record · serial 2361R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE FLAGMAN FOR THE AERIAL APPLICATOR THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED HIS FIRST SWATH RUN AND INITIALLY PULLED UP AND TURNED RIGHT. HE THEN REVERSED HIS TURN TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE FOR THE SECOND PASS. THE FLAGMAN OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TO BE STILL IN THE LEFT TURN NEARING THE SWATH RUN HEADING WHEN THE RIGHT WING SEEMED TO GET TOO HIGH. HE STATED 'HIS RIGHT WING JUST SEEMED TO KEEP COMING OVER TILL HE WAS 3/4 COCKED AND GOING STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GROUND.' AFTER CONTACTING WIRES THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN INTENSE POST CRASH FIRE.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1990; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from JBR, 21 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.