- Date
- July 31, 2020, 07:05 local (12:05 UTC)
- Place
- Memphis, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N90834Cessna A188
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200731011859A
- Case key
- 101723
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 did not remove the rudder gust lock during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with a tree.
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 reported that he had just started flying this airplane five days before the accident as a contract pilot. Over the past four days, the operator had the airplane on the "ready pad" with all of the tie-downs and gust locks already removed. On the day of the accident, the airplane was tied down with all of the gust locks still installed. Prior to takeoff, the pilot completed a preflight inspection but did not remove the rudder gust lock. During the takeoff roll, the pilot had to use the brakes to keep the airplane centered on the runway, which made for a much longer takeoff roll. The airplane dragged in the 10 ft high corn off the end of the runway and lost lift, so the pilot made a forced landing in a field. During the landing roll the airplane collided with a tree and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He stated that he should have completed a more thorough preflight inspection.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he had just started flying this airplane five days before the accident as a contract pilot. Over the past four days, the operator had the airplane on the "ready pad" with all of the tie-downs and gust locks already removed. On the day of the accident, the airplane was tied down with all of the gust locks still installed. Prior to takeoff, the pilot completed a preflight inspection but did not remove the rudder gust lock. During the takeoff roll, the pilot had to use the brakes to keep the airplane centered on the runway, which made for a much longer takeoff roll. The airplane dragged in the 10 ft high corn off the end of the runway and lost lift, so the pilot made a forced landing in a field. During the landing roll the airplane collided with a tree and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He stated that he should have completed a more thorough preflight inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90834
- Reported as
- Cessna A188 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18803322T
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 1,531.5
- Engine
- Continential Motors IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Woods Flying Service Llc
- Registered owner
- Woods Flying Service Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2020
- Departed
- Memphis, MO
- Destination
- Memphis, MO
- Airport
- runway 18, 3,600 × 200 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 11, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,153 total · 153 in this make and model · 2,153 as pilot in command · 211 in the last 90 days · 159 in the last 30 days · 13 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KIRK, 24 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB 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.