- Date
- June 26, 2007, 09:56 local (14:56 UTC)
- Place
- Wyaconda, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4998QCessna 188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 66244
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 clearance from the trees. A factor in the accident was the trees.
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 agricultural airplane received substantial damage when it impacted trees and was consumed by a post-crash ground fire. The pilot stated that he circled the airplane around the corn field twice to check for obstructions. The pilot then began his spray run by entering the field over the northwest corner heading east. The pilot stated he was "watching trees on the right, then left" and when he looked forward he "misjudged the distance of the tree line at the end of the field". The airplane subsequently struck tree tops, and the pilot "could not regain control of the aircraft" before it settled into the trees. The pilot stated in his accident report that the accident could have been prevented by identifying all obstructions surrounding and within the spray area and using better judgement before entering the area.
Factual narrative
The agricultural airplane received substantial damage when it impacted trees and was consumed by a post-crash ground fire. The pilot stated that he circled the airplane around the corn field twice to check for obstructions. The pilot then began his spray run by entering the field over the northwest corner heading east. The pilot stated he was "watching trees on the right, then left" and when he looked forward he "misjudged the distance of the tree line at the end of the field". The airplane subsequently struck tree tops, and the pilot "could not regain control of the aircraft" before it settled into the trees. The pilot stated in his accident report that the accident could have been prevented by identifying all obstructions surrounding and within the spray area and using better judgement before entering the area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4998Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802732T
- Airframe hours
- 3,793.6
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D26B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- James F. Wood
- Registered owner
- Woods Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2007
- Departed
- unknown, MO
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2007
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 622 total · 238 in this make and model · 537 as pilot in command · 69 in the last 90 days · 54 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- EOK, 20 nm away