Aero Commander S2R Thrush accident near Connell, Washington, August 21, 2002
On August 21, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander S2R Thrush, registered N8870Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Connell, Washington (Connell City airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors include rough uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Connell, Washington · Connell City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S2R Thrush · all S2R Thrushs on the register
- Registration
- N8870Q · no longer on the register · serial 1420R
- 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 commercial pilot was landing the tail wheel equipped airplane on runway 25. The pilot stated that during the landing rollout, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and veered to the left. The pilot attempted to regain runway centerline, however, the airplane continued to the left and encountered rough terrain. After encountering the rough terrain, the airplane's right main gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar and aileron. The pilot reported that the winds, at the time of the accident, were from 190 degrees at 3-5 knots, gusting to 10-15 knots.
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: 16,118 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 140 in the last 30 days; 16,118 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 2002; 5,620 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Walter M-60 E1 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA14 Connell WA
- Destination: WA14 Connell WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from KPSC, 26 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 N8870Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA02LA166.