Rockwell S-2R-1200 accident near Cottonwood, Idaho, July 10, 2001
On July 10, 2001 at about 6:14 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R-1200, registered N4947X, was destroyed in an accident near Cottonwood, Idaho. 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
Failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain while dropping fire retardant. Factors include low visibility with smoke.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2001 · about 6:14 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R-1200
- Registration
- N4947X · no longer on the register · serial 5008R
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, loaded with approximately 450 gallons of fire retardant, was directed to work the fire's east flank. A witness on the ground stated the airplane approached from the southwest, near the top of the canyon. He reported that initially he didn't see the airplane, but could only hear it flying down the east flank of the fire. Shortly thereafter, he reported seeing a "big ball of fire" and thought the pilot must have hit something. A second witness reported seeing the accident airplane approach the fire from the south. He stated that as the airplane approached the fire, the pilot reported that "...it was [too smoky] and he was going around to try again." Shortly thereafter, ground crews reported that the airplane had crashed. Post accident evaluation of the aircraft wreckage revealed no evidence of a pre-impact failure or malfunction.
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: 12,927 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,997 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 2000; 269 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-1820-97 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Craigmont Air Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: S89 Craigmont ID at 5:40 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.