- Date
- July 21, 2011, 19:30 local (Jul 22, 2011, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Devils Lake, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N731AUCessna A188B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110721014349A
- Case key
- 81216
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 maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in a stall during the aerial application.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was performing an aerial application of a field when he executed a turn to line up for the next spray pass. During the turn, the airspeed slowed, and the airplane stalled. The airplane impacted the field and sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot stated that he should have discontinued the turn rather than attempt to align the airplane for the next spray pass.
Factual narrative
The pilot was performing an aerial application of a field when he executed a turn to line up for the next spray pass. During the turn, the airplane airspeed slowed, and the airplane stalled. The airplane impacted the field and sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot stated that he should have discontinued the turn rather than attempt to align the airplane for the next spray pass.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731AU
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802751T
- Airframe hours
- 3,226
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-09B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wakefield Flight Service Inc, doing business as Wakefield Flight Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Individual
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2011
- Departed
- PVT · Devils Lake, ND
- Destination
- Devils Lake, ND
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 4, 2011
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,600 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 25,700 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- DVL
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 6, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 332 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.