Rockwell S-2R accident near American Falls, Idaho, May 19, 1984
On May 19, 1984 at about 2:00 am local time, a Rockwell S-2R, registered N4865X, was substantially damaged in an accident near American Falls, Idaho. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- May 19, 1984 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- American Falls, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S-2R
- Registration
- N4865X · registry record · serial 2060R
- 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 LOAD/GROUND CREW REPORTED THAT THE PLT PLANNED TO MAKE 1 MORE SPRAY RUN BEFORE FLYING BACK TO THE HOME BASE. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT RETURN TO THE LOADING AREA, THEY ASSUMED HE HAD RETURNED TO THE BASE. THEY DROVE 20 MI BACK TO THE BASE, BUT FOUND NEITHER THE ACFT NOR THE PLT, S0 THEY RETURNED TO THE SPRAY AREA. THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON ROLLING/HILLY TERRAIN (AT DUSK). AN EXAM REVEALED THE PROPELLER HAD CONTACTED THE GROUND APPX 386 FT WEST OF THE PRINCIPAL IMPACT POINT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT WING SPRAY BOOM HAD INTERMITTENTLY CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A 10 TO 15 DEG CIRCULAR ARC TO THE NORTH. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR THEN CONTACTED THE UNEVEN TERRAIN. BEYOND THAT, THE ACFT CROSSED A GULLY/DITCH, IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN & CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THIS WAS THE PLT'S 1ST SPRAY MISSION FOR THE OPERATOR. ABOUT 18 MI EAST AT BURLEY, ID, THE 1845 MDT WX WAS IN PART: 200 FT PARTIAL OBSCURED, 3000 FT BROKEN.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1984; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N4865X 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.