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19970826024209A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 188B · South Haven, MI · August 26, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 26, 1997 · 12:30 local
Place
South Haven, MI
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
RCDG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N21639
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI97LA273
Reported as
Cessna 188B
Reported engine
Continental IO520D
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,017 total2,000 in this make and model250 in the last 90 days
N21639Registration cancelled Aug 19, 2013 · Cessna 188BS/N 18800925 · Built 1972Airframe modelCessna 188BEngine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft engine failed during aerial application. (.4)after pulling up from a swath run, the engine lost power. The pilot then made a forced landing in a blue berry field. Postaccident investigation revealed a failed connecting rod in the engine. The engine had accumulated 1,900 hours since the last overhaul. The manufacturer's recommended interval for overhaul was 1,200 hours. The company owner said that he knew the engine was going to need an overhaul; however, he hoped that it would last until the aerial application season was over. (-23) on August 26, 1997, at 1200 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 188B, N21639, registered to robertson crop dusting services of South Haven, Michigan, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field near South Haven, Michigan. The pilot reported that the engine lost all power. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR part 137 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed about 1145.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT ENGINE FAILED DURING AERIAL APPLICATION. (.4)AFTER PULLING UP FROM A SWATH RUN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT THEN MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A BLUE BERRY FIELD. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILED CONNECTING ROD IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 1,900 HOURS SINCE THE LAST OVERHAUL. THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED INTERVAL FOR OVERHAUL WAS 1,200 HOURS. THE COMPANY OWNER SAID THAT HE KNEW THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO NEED AN OVERHAUL; HOWEVER, HE HOPED THAT IT WOULD LAST UNTIL THE AERIAL APPLICATION SEASON WAS OVER. (-23) ON AUGUST 26, 1997, AT 1200 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 188B, N21639, REGISTERED TO ROBERTSON CROP DUSTING SERVICES OF SOUTH HAVEN, MICHIGAN, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR SOUTH HAVEN, MICHIGAN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 137 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED ABOUT 1145.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA273Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSouth Haven, MIfailure of a connecting rod in the engine assembly, which resulted in loss of engine power and a forced landing. Factors relating to the accident were: lack of a recommended engine overhaul, and the lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.Aug 26, 1997 · Substantial damage