Rockwell S-2R accident near Mattawa, Washington, March 26, 2004
On March 26, 2004 at about 4:33 pm local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N8420V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mattawa, Washington. 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
Compensation for wind conditions not maintained. Factors include a tailwind and a rock pile adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2004 · about 4:33 pm local time
- Place
- Mattawa, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N8420V · no longer on the register · serial 2180
- 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 reported that shortly after landing, to the north, the airplane began to track to the left. The pilot reported that he applied brakes and corrective action, however, the airplane continued to track to the left, and exited the landing surface. After exiting the landing surface, the airplane collided with a pile of rocks and nosed over. The pilot reported that local winds were from the south at 12 to 15 miles per hour, and added that a landing to the south was not recommended due to obstructions on the north end of the runway.
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: 5,677 hours in all; 636 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mattawa WA
- Flight plan: none
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.
Other NTSB records under N8420V 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.