- Date
- August 7, 1993, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Martin, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N78516Cessna 188
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930807028039A
- Case key
- 9275
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 control of the airplane during the takeoff roll.
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 pilot attempted to takeoff on an eighteen foot wide gravel roadway. He stated '...as soon as tail came up, right wing dropped and aircraft veered to the right. Left brake applied to stop aircraft from turning right...caused aircraft to veer left 180 degrees.' The airplane skidded into a ditch on the left side of the road, and the right main landing gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On August 7, 1993, approximately 1700 hours mountain daylight time, a Cessna 188, N78516, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the road into a ditch during an attempted takeoff. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 137, and the accident occurred during takeoff.
The pilot reported he pulled the airplane out of the hangar, refuelled, and performed a preflight inspection before he taxied to the 18 foot wide gravel road for takeoff. He stated everything seemed normal as he applied power for takeoff. The pilot stated "...Almost as soon as the tail came up, right wing dropped and aircraft veered to the right. Left brake applied to stop aircraft from turning right...caused aircraft to veer left 180 degrees, skid to right and slide into left ditch..." The pilot indicated periodic inspections of the roadway for foreign objects, tall weeds/grass, etc. might have prevented the accident. There was no evidence or claim of preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78516
- Reported as
- Cessna 188
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18801953T
- Airframe hours
- 1,832
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 137
- Operator
- Lakota Nation Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Lakota Nation Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 1993 · 115 hours before
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 28,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 28,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 1 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N78516 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.