- Date
- May 26, 2000, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Sublette, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9076RCessna A188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000526006299A
- Case key
- 51057
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 failure of the pilot to attain aircraft control. Factors to the accident were the uneven terrain, the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control on the ground, and the crop.
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 aircraft was substantially damaged during takeoff roll at a private airstrip. The aerial application flight was on the takeoff roll when the aircraft hit a rut in the runway. According to a statement by the pilot, 'The plane was about ready for lift off when I hit a rut causing the plane to pull sharply to the left. I pulled back on the stick to lift off, but at the same time the left boom hit the wheat, causing the plane to rotate 11/2 turns counter clockwise just above the wheat. The plane traveled approximately 400 feet through the air, hitting tail section first...There was no prop strike, no injuries to pilot but major damage to the aircraft.' The pilot also stated, 'Probable Cause of Accident: Pilot assumed too much; needed to check things out better, especially the runway. Probable cause of accident due to pilot error.'
Factual narrative
On May 26, 2000, at 1615 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N9076R, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged on impact with crops and terrain during takeoff roll at a private field, near Sublette Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 flight was not operating under a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local aerial application flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot, in a written statement, said, "The plane was about ready for lift off when I hit a rut causing the plane to pull sharply to the left. I pulled back on the stick to lift off, but at the same time the left boom hit the wheat, causing the plane to rotate approximately 11/2 turns counter clockwise just above the wheat. The plane traveled approximately 400 feet through the air, hitting tail section first (the engine still running full R.P.M.'s I immediately pulled the mixture and shut down the engine. There was no prop strike, no injuries to pilot but major damage to the aircraft." The pilot later stated, "Probable Cause of Accident: Pilot assumed too much; needed to check things out better, especially the runway. Probable cause of accident due to pilot error."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9076R
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802101T
- Airframe hours
- 4,235
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Johnny L. Crist
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 4, 1999 · 123 hours before
- Airport
- Private Airstrip
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,913 total · 2,932 in this make and model · 4,913 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GCK, 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.
Other investigations on N9076R · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.