Rockwell Intl. S-2R accident near Eureka, Washington, April 5, 1982
On April 5, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Rockwell Intl. S-2R, registered N8471V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eureka, 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
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
- April 5, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eureka, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell Intl. S-2R
- Registration
- N8471V · no longer on the register · serial 2376R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SPRAYING MOST OF HIS LOAD, THE PILOT MADE A DRY PASS AND DROPPED A SMOKE FLARE. THE FLARE WAS DROPPED TO CHECK THE DRIFT OF THE AIR RELATIVE TO A SUSCEPTIBLE CROP EAST OF THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED. AFTER DROPPING THE FLARE, THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND CROSSED THE FIELD IN THE SAME AREA. HE REPORTED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED THE WINGTIP VORTICES FROM HIS PREVIOUS PASS, THE WINGTIP DUG INTO THE HILLSIDE, AND THE AILERON WAS LOCKED IN A LEFT TURN. THE PLANE CONTINUED ABOUT 200 FT AND THEN CRASHED ON THE HILLSIDE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,020 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 9,999 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,163 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P & W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shamrock Crop Dusting, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Touchet WA at 7:55 am
- Destination: Touchet WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 115°F (46°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.