# NTSB CEN20CA229: Cessna T188, N2085J, McCurtain, OK, June 12, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 12, 2020, 13:20 local (18:20 UTC) - Place: McCurtain, OK - Coordinates: 35.145, -94.916114 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1450&lon=-94.9161&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Will Rogers FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101441 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA229 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101441/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101441 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA229 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain the proper airspeed during a low altitude aerial application maneuver and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodymanic stall at too low of an altiutde to recover. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was conducting an aerial application flight to a field that had a small hill on the north side. After the completion of the second pass, the pilot maneuvered the airplane out of the field to turn away from the hill and to get turned around for another pass. Upon starting the turn back towards the field, the pilot realized that he had not allowed adequate space to perform the turn given the airplane's "current load and environmental conditions." The pilot leveled the wings and attempted to fly over the hill; however, the airplane encountered an aerodynamic stall about 30 ft above ground level and subsequently impacted trees and rocky terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the left wing, and the empennage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2085J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2085J-2020-11-14), registration cancelled 2020-11-14, S/N T18803375T, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna T188 (C) - Registry model: [Cessna T188C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t188c) (registry code 2073012) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: T18803375T - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 7294 - Engines: Continental Motors TSIO-520-T 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: AgraTech, Inc., doing business as AgraTech, Inc. - Registered owner: AgraTech, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, January 16, 2020 - Departed: GZL, Stigler, OK - Destination: GZL, Stigler, OK - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 18, 2019; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,050 total, 843 in this make and model, 2,999.8 as pilot in command, 378.2 in the last 90 days, 152.6 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: KGZL, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200612006589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200612006589A), Jun 12, 2020: Cessna T188C, Milton, OK, Substantial damage. On June 12, 2020 at approximately 1400 [privacy data omitted] was applying herbicide to a field 3 miles wsw of Milton, OK. At the end of his spray run the… ## Other investigations on N2085J (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 CEN10LA450](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA450), Jul 29, 2010: Cessna T188C (N2085J), Montezuma, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to an insufficient fastener preload that led to the failure of the No. 2 connecting rod assembly. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101441. 4.8 MB in all. - Accident Photographs (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485674&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photographs%20-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485675&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Additional Pilot Questions (item 3, .PDF, 12 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485676&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Additional%20Pilot%20Questions%20-Master.PDF - Accident Site Density Altitude Calculations (item 4, .PDF, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485677&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Site%20Density%20Altitude%20Calculations%20-Master.PDF - Cessna Ag Husky (T188C) Owner's Manual Excerpts (item 5, .PDF, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485678&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cessna%20Ag%20Husky%20(T188C)%20Owner%27s%20Manual%20Excerpts%20-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.