Rockwell S2R accident near St. John, Washington, May 5, 1992
On May 5, 1992 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R, registered N8803Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. John, 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 SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER AND REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PIC NOT POSSIBLE. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1992 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- St. John, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R
- Registration
- N8803Q · no longer on the register · serial 2336R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SPRAY RUN THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER HEAD SEPARATED AND A TOTAL POWER LOSS FOLLOWED. NO PRE EXISTING CRACK WAS REPORTED AT THE POINT OF FAILURE. THE PILOT SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING IN HILLY, UNEVEN TERRAIN AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT MOMENTARILY BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER CRESTING A HILL AND THEN PANCAKED INTO THE GROUND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,781 hours in all; 636 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,216 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 29, 1992; 243 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Larmie Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from PUW, 33 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.
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.