Rockwell International S-2R accident near Yellow Pine, Idaho, February 5, 2012
On February 5, 2012 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Rockwell International S-2R, registered N4894X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Yellow Pine, Idaho (Stibnite Mine airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot did not reduce the airplane’s descent rate prior to the landing flare/touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2012 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Yellow Pine, Idaho · Stibnite Mine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International S-2R · all S-2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4894X · no longer on the register · serial 2079R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing at a remote snow-covered airstrip, the airplane touched down at a high descent rate, bounced back into the air, and then touched down again on the packed snow surface. As the airplane slowed and its weight transferred from the wings to the landing gear, one main landing gear attach fitting, which had been damaged during the initial hard touchdown, allowed its associated gear leg to partially collapse. The partial collapse of the landing gear resulted in the airplane veering to the right, whereupon the right wing impacted the snow bank along the side of the runway and sustained substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,731 hours in all; 1,520 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,205 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 8,808 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell TPE 331-10 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valley Air, LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: U70 Cascade ID at 7:00 pm
- Destination: ID41 Yellow Pine ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,450 ft by 175 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N4894X 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.