Aero Commander S2R N1746S

Summary

On 13 June 2024 at about 20:55 local time, a Aero Commander S2R registered N1746S, operated by Wilde Air Service LLC, was involved in an accident near White, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 June 2024 at 20:55

Classification

Accident

Location

White, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

44.5157, -96.7365

Aircraft

Aero Commander S2R

Registration

N1746S

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Wilde Air Service LLC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brookings → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA229

1 person had minor injuries.

A low-level collision and engine ingestion with ducks, which resulted in a total loss of engine power, a forced landing, and a subsequent nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was performing a low-level aerial application flight, applying liquid chemical to a rural pasture. As the airplane was climbing out of the pasture, a flock of ducks flew in front of the airplane at about 30 ft agl. Several seconds later, the turboprop engine quit producing thrust. The pilot checked the engine gauges to verify the total loss of engine power, he moved the power lever forward, and he performed a forced landing from about 80 ft agl to a grass field straight ahead. An emergency hopper dump was not performed prior to landing. During the landing, the airplane’s main landing gear sunk into the wet ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot egressed from a broken window on the left-side of the cockpit, as the right-side cockpit door was jammed from the mud. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount, fuselage, empennage, and the right wing. Prior to the collision and engine ingestion with ducks, the operator reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination confirmed the duck remains were from a Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), which is classified as a large dabbling duck. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) gender-typing confirmed that both male and female Mallard remains were found in the wreckage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.