- Date
- August 1, 1993, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Buhler, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4864QCessna 188
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930801027409A
- Case key
- 9134
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 loss of engine power due to a fractured accessory (camshaft) drive gear.
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 spray airplane lost engine power while maneuvering over crops. The pilot made a forced landing in a nearby field. Examination of the engine disclosed a fractured camshaft drive gear.
Factual narrative
History of flight
On August 1, 1993, at 0800 Central Daylight Time (cdt), a Cessna 188, N4864Q, owned and operated by Blue Sky Airspray took off from a private airstrip at Nickerson, Kansas. AT 0830 cdt while aerial spraying, the engine quit and the aircraft impacted the ground in a plowed field 9 1/2 miles northeast of Buhler, Kansas.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left landing gear, horizontal stabilizer, and tail wheel. The pilot holds a commercial pilot's certificate and had a current airman medical certificate.
Damage to aircraft
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left landing gear, horizontal stabilizer and tail wheel.
Personnel information
The pilot, Rodney W. Hicks, was an employee of Blue Sky Airspray, Certificate No. CFJG798C, owned by Wallace D. Cook.
Aircraft information
The aircraft, a Cessna 188, was owned by Wallace D. Cook. The last inspection was an annual performed on 12/17/92. The aircraft had operated 136 hours since last inspection for a total time of 4894 hours.
Aerodrome information
Private airport in an uncontrolled area.
Wreckage and impact information
The aircraft received substantial damage. Left wing and landing gear bent. Horizontal stabilizer bent and tail wheel bent. The aircraft impacted the ground in a plowed field with no damage to crops.
Survival aspects
The accident was survivable due to low altitude and shoulder harness used by the pilot.
Additional information
The aircraft was released to the owner Wallace D. Cook on August 2, 1993. Tear down of the engine revealed gear teeth broken off of camshaft drive gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4864Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 188
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802600T
- Airframe hours
- 4,894
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wallace D. Cook, doing business as Blue Sky Air Spray
- Registered owner
- Wallace D. Cook
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 17, 1992 · 136 hours before
- Departed
- Nickerson, KS
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 5,500 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
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 N4864Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.