Rockwell S 2R N5022X

Summary

On 22 August 2017 at about 18:00 local time, a Rockwell S 2R registered N5022X, operated by Farm Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Calipatria, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 August 2017 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Calipatria, California, United States

Coordinates

33.1144, -115.3653

Aircraft

Rockwell S 2R

Registration

N5022X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Farm Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Calipatria → Calipatria

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC17FA047

1 person died.

A loss of control for reasons that could not be determined because of the extensive thermal damage from the postcrash fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was performing an aerial application flight in the airplane. A witness reported that after a slight right turn, the airplane rolled wings level, about 150 to 200 ft above ground level. Then, the nose dropped, and the airplane impacted a field in a near vertical attitude. A postimpact fire ensued, which consumed most of the airplane's fuselage, left wing, and empennage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. However, the extent of thermal damage to the airplane prevented confirmation of control continuity.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.