# NTSB CEN20LA309: Cessna A188, N53163, Corsica, SD, July 27, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 27, 2020, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place: Corsica, SD
- Coordinates: 43.428333, -98.244445 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4283&lon=-98.2444&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: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Textron Aviation, FAA Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101679
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA309
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101679/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101679
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA309

## Probable cause

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.

## 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 A188B, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073005), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 A188B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2073005), [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: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna A188B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2073005), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna A188B, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073005), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On the day of the accident, the pilot had flown for about 2.5 hours, practicing aerial application operations with loads of water. The accident occurred on his third flight of the day. According to witnesses, the pilot had just completed two passes over the field. After completing the second pass, the pilot entered a turn to return for another pass when the airplane suddenly nosed over and impacted the ground. The airplane was destroyed by the impact with the ground. One of the witnesses noted that the airplane entered a descending spiral before impact. Two witnesses heard a loud noise from the airplane similar to a "backfire" or "an over-inflated tire bursting," before seeing it "nosedive." All three witnesses stated that the airplane appeared to be flying normally before the accident occurred. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology testing showed evidence of the pilot’s use of multiple potentially impairing drugs; however, no active substances were found in the pilot’s blood following the accident. Therefore, it is unlikely that effects from the pilot’s use of these substances contributed to the accident. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot allowed the airplane’s airspeed to decay during the turn and the airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control at an altitude too low for recovery.

## Factual narrative

On July 27, 2020, about 1045 central daylight time, a Cessna A188 airplane, N53163, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Corsica, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 aerial application flight. According to the operator, the pilot had started with the company about 3 months before the accident. On the day of the accident, the pilot flew about 2.5 hours practicing spray operations with loads of water. The accident occurred on his third flight of the day. According to witnesses, the pilot had completed two passes over the field. After he completed the second pass, the pilot entered a turn to return for another pass when the airplane suddenly nosed over and impacted the ground. One of the witnesses noted that the airplane entered a descending spiral before impact. Two witnesses heard a loud noise from the airplane before seeing it "nosedive." The sound was similar to a "backfire" or "an over-inflated tire bursting." All three witnesses stated that the airplane appeared to be flying normally before the accident occurred. Toxicology testing performed by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified 1.3 ng/ml of carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal (THC-COOH) in the pilot’s blood. THC-COOH is the primary inactive metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinal (THC). THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana. In addition, THC-COOH, 11-hydroxy-delta-9-THC (an active metabolite of THC), pheniramine (a sedating antihistamine), and albuterol (an inhaled drug used to treat asthma) were identified in the pilot’s urine. The pilot received a Part 137 agricultural endorsement on May 8, 2020. The airplane came to rest in a bean field. The forward fuselage was fragmented, and the aft fuselage was buckled consistent with impact forces. Both wings exhibited leading edge crush damage and localized deformation. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage. The flight control surfaces remained attached to the airframe. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N53163](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53163-2021-06-05), registration cancelled 2021-06-05, S/N 18801655, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna A188 (B)
- Registry model: [Cessna A188B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a188b) (registry code 2073005) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18801655
- Year built: 1974
- Engines: Continential IO 520 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Departed: D65, Corsica, SD
- Airport: D65, Corsica Municipal
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 50; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 23, 2020; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 314.8 total, 45.2 in this make and model, 218.2 as pilot in command, 120.6 in the last 90 days, 47.8 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observed at: KMHE, 23 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 20200727009429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200727009429A), Jul 27, 2020: Cessna A188B, Parkston, SD, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On July 27th 2020, at 10:45 am, a Cessna CE188 ag wagon, owned by [privacy data omitted] was involved in a fatal accident while out spraying crops. Weather was…

## Docket (10 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101679. 15.3 MB in all.

- NTSB examination summary (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13573145&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1%20CEN20LA309,%20Summary%20of%20Airplane%20Exam-Rel.pdf
- Pilot logbook excerpts (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 9.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13572836&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2%20Pages%20from%20FAA%20Pilot%20Logbook%20Photographs%20Reorganized%20and%20Renumbered_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13595850&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=4%20Docket%20Photos-Rel.pdf
- Garmin 510 factual (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 354 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13596278&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=11%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Garmin%20aera510%20gps-Rel.pdf
- Attachment 1 GPS data file (item 5, CSV, 860 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13612163&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Attachment%202%20-%20All%20Tabular%20Data-Rel.csv
- Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13608666&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20LA309%20-%20NTSB%20Party%20Rep%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 327 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13575516&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=5%20CEN20LA309%20Wreckage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Autopsy memo (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 146 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13610800&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Autopsy%20Memo%20--%20CEN20LA309-Rel.pdf
- Toxicological report (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13575902&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6%20Toxicology_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Witness statements (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13630552&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20conversation%20witness%20statements-Rel.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.

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