- Date
- May 31, 1991, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sycamore, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N731EPCessna 188
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910531019569A
- Case key
- 8415
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 failure to secure the gust lock during prelflight; the string jammed the flight controls and created an uncontrollable condition.
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
While spraying melons, the pilot started a pull up from a swath run, but was not able to complete the maneuver because the flight controls were jammed. During the attempt to free the controls the right main landing gear struck the ground. According to the pilot, the flight controls jammed when a string used as a gust lock wedged into the stick control. The airplane collided with the ground before the pilot could release the gust lock line. The string was not properly secured prior to the departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731EP
- Reported as
- Cessna 188
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802842T
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Collins, Robert C
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,078 total · 625 in this make and model · 2,998 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHS, 45 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.