# Accident 19990713009009A: Cessna A188B, Panther Burn, MS, July 13, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 1999, 07:18 local time
- Place: Panther Burn, MS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: YGRG
- Location: 33.0604° N, 90.8696° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0604&lon=-90.8696&mi=10
- Aircraft: N731VR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N731VR-2005-03-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A188B (registry code 2073005, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a188b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A188B
- Reported engine: CONT IO520*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA106) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990713009009A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT STRUCK TREES DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, CRASHED, AND BURNED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JULY 13, 1999, AT 0815 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 188B, N731VR, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND FOLLOWING AN AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVER IN PANTHER BURN, MISSISSIPPI. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR ON SCENE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 1/2 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE SPRAYING FIELD. AT THIS TIME, THE PILOT'S CONDITION PREVENTED AN INTERVIEW TO DETERMINE WHY HE WAS OFF COURSE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           (.4)THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRSTRIP WITH A LOAD OF 57 GALLONS OF FYFANON, A CHEMICAL USED TO SPRAY BOLL WEEVILS. AFTER PERFORMING A SERIES OF SPRAY RUNS, THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF COURSE, COLLIDED WITH A TREE LINE, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND AND BURNED.  A REVIEW OF THE AIRPLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL GLOBAL POSITION SYSTEM (DGPS) INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN SERVICED TWICE DURING THE WEEK LEADING TO THE ACCIDENT.  THE DGPS IS INSTALLED ON A SHELF BEHIND THE PILOT'S SEAT NEAR WHERE THE SHOULDER HARNESS IS ATTACHED, AND WAS REQUIRED TO BE OPERATIONAL FOR USE DURING THE FLIGHT UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THE SPRAYING CONTRACT.  ACCORDING TO STORED INFORMATION DOWNLOADED FROM THE DGPS, THE LOCK ON THE DGPS WAS LOST SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED A RIGHT TURN ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE FIELD.  THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED ONE AND A HALF MILES NORTHWEST OF WHERE THE LAST DGPS SIGNAL WAS RECEIVED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL99LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA106), Jul 13, 1999: Cessna A188B (N731VR), Panther Burn, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance that resulted in the in-flight collision with trees. A factor was his diverted attention following the failure of the DGPS.

## Other reports on N731VR (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19970805025959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970805025959A), Aug 5, 1997: Cessna A188B (N731VR), Cadaretta, MS, Substantial damage. Bounced landing. Departed runway struck a tree. (-23) pilot stated he had landed aircraft over a bump in the dirt strip bouncing the airplane into the air,…
- [Accident 19850508016029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850508016029A), May 8, 1985: Cessna A188B (N731VR), Virden, IL, Destroyed. During swath run pilot struck powerline as he attempted to go over some lines and under other. Impacted ground.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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