Casualties unknown

Pilot's Gear Impact During Chemical Application Leads to Landing Collapse (N8468V)

Royal City, WA, US

On June 12, 2003, a Rockwell International S-2R (registration N8468V) was involved in an aviation accident near Royal City, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a 20 foot high post while applying chemicals to an agricultural field, which resulted in impact damage to the right main landing gear, and ultimately to a collapse of the subject gear during the subsequent… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot inadvertently struck a 20-foot post with the right main landing gear while applying chemicals, then returned to base. During landing, the damaged gear collapsed, causing substantial right wing spar damage.

Incident Overview

While conducting a chemical application flight over a field, the pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft's right main landing gear to contact a 20-foot-high post. Following the impact, the pilot continued the application, dispersing the remainder of the chemical load before returning to the airstrip being used as a base of operations.

Landing and Collapse

Aware that the right main landing gear had been damaged, the pilot intentionally held the right wing higher than the left for as long as possible during the landing roll. However, when the right main gear eventually made contact with the landing surface, it collapsed. The collapse caused the right wing to strike the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing's main spar.

Damage Assessment

The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right wing main spar. No other damage or injuries were reported in the source material. The pilot's actions to mitigate the situation were limited to holding the right wing up during landing, but the gear failure was unavoidable given the prior damage.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20030620X00920. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.