- Date
- June 13, 1995, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Red Springs, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4916QCessna 188
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950613032209A
- Case key
- 3570
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
Inadequate maintenance that overlooked corrosion of the exhaust manifold, which resulted in an exhaust manifold leak, an in flight fire, and a complete loss of engine power.
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
The pilot reported that he noticed a burning smell, shortly before he lost complete engine power. The pilot selected a nearby field, and attempted an emergency landing. While maneuvering for the landing, the aircraft collided with trees. An examination of the engine revealed a hole in the exhaust manifold caused by corrosion. There were indications of fire on the aircraft air filter cover, that had been the result of exhaust gases blowing directly on it. An engine run was performed after the air filter was removed and the engine ran well at all rpms.
Factual narrative
On June 13, 1995, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 188 N4916Q, collided with a tree during an emergency landing attempt to a field near Red Springs, North Carolina. The aerial application flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane received substantial damage; the pilot was not injured. The flight departed Raeford, North Carolina, at 1900 hours.
The pilot reported a burning odor in the aircraft during a spraying run. He then experienced a complete loss of engine power. The pilot selected a nearby field, and attempted an emergency landing. While maneuvering for the emergency landing, the airplane collided with a tree.
A post crash examination of the engine was done by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A removal of the engine cowling revealed that the exhaust manifold was corroded, and had developed a hole in the rear side of it. There were indications of fire on the aircraft air filter cover that had been the result of exhaust hot air blowing directly on it. There were indications in the fuel injection system that fuel had been present at the time of impact. The propeller showed signs that no power was being developed at the time of impact. There were no other indications of engine failure.
A balanced propeller was put on the engine and a run was performed at various RPMs. The engine quit after a short period of time. A removal of the air filter cover revealed the air filter to be severely burned. A removal of intake manifolds revealed residue to be present that matched the type of material that the air filter was made of. The air filter was removed. Another engine run was performed with various RPMs and the engine ran well at all RPMs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4916Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 188
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802651T
- Airframe hours
- 3,448
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Mcmillan, Richard E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 23, 1995 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 3,783 in this make and model · 3,991 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAY, 12 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.