- Date
- September 8, 1990, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Elizabeth City, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N731NYCessna 188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 8273
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and compensation for wind conditions and the subsequent loss of aircraft control during takeoff. Existing crosswinds and gusts were factors in the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During takeoff for an agricultural application flight, and at about two feet above the ground, the pilot lowered the nose to pick up speed. The airplane was reportedly near maximum gross weight. The airplane settled back to the runway. The pilot kept the power up and pulled back on the stick to avoid a dry canal bed near the departure end of the runway. The airplane contacted the ditch, entered a bean field, and ground looped. The pilot stated that he was overloaded for the existing field conditions. He reported crosswinds and gusts to 15 KTS. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731NY
- Reported as
- Cessna 188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18803263
- Airframe hours
- 1,787
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D-32, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- James Fletcher'S Air Svc, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 21, 1990 · 62 hours before
- Departed
- 1NC3
- Airport
- 1NC3 · Fletcher'S Airfield, runway 9, 2,300 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,034 total · 1,625 in this make and model · 3,823 as pilot in command · 207 in the last 90 days · 95 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ECG, 4 nm away