Snow S2C accident near Dufer, Oregon, November 16, 1995
On November 16, 1995, a Snow S2C, registered N1694S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dufer, Oregon. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. A FACTOR WAS THE EVASIVE MANEUVER TO AVOID A DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1995
- Place
- Dufer, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Snow S2C · all S2Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1694S · no longer on the register · serial 1276C
- 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 DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION SPRAY RUN, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND BACKFIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT PULLED THE AIRPLANE UP TO MISS A DITCH. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND THEN LANDED HARD. POSTCRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A CRACK IN THE HEAD ON THE #5 CYLINDER.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 15,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1995; 363 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 1340 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5S5 Culver OR at 11:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°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.