Rockwell S2R accident near Royal City, Washington, August 14, 2012
On August 14, 2012 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Rockwell S2R, registered N8468V, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Royal City, Washington (Royal Flying Service Airstrip airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the separation of the No. 2 cylinder exhaust rocker boss housing, which prevented the exhaust valve from opening.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2012 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Royal City, Washington · Royal Flying Service Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell S2R NO SERIES
- Registration
- N8468V · no longer on the register · serial 2228R
- 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 stated that shortly after taking off for the aerial application flight the engine began to run rough. Because he could not maintain altitude and was concerned about clearing a set of power lines in front of him, the pilot partially dumped the airplane’s aerial application load. After the airplane cleared the power lines, the pilot attempted to land on a road; however, during the touchdown the airplane veered off of the road and into a ditch. A postaccident fire consumed the airplane. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder exhaust rocker boss housing had separated from the cylinder, which prevented the cylinder's exhaust valve from opening and resulted in the loss of engine power. Maintenance records revealed that the cylinder had been inspected in accordance with the time interval specified by the applicable Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive (AD). The AD specifies a 100-hour recurring inspection requirement; the engine had accumulated 91 hours since its last inspection.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 907 hours in all; 508 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 126 in the last 30 days; 854 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,304 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2012; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Royal Flying Service Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 8WA Royal City WA at 1:19 pm
- Destination: 8WA Royal City WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from EPH, 28 miles away
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 N8468V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR12LA356.