# NTSB ERA25LA243: Cessna T188C, N3619J, Mount Gilead, OH, June 26, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 26, 2025, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Mount Gilead, OH · Tree line bordering a vegetated field. - Coordinates: 40.522638, -82.840911 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5226&lon=-82.8409&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200394 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200394/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200394 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA243 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while in a turn during initial climb and the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 T188C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation; cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna T188C, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073012), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed in variable light wind conditions for an aerial application flight. During the initial climb, the airplane reached an altitude of about 40 ft agl as the pilot began a turn away from the runway. The pilot described that the wind shifted to a tailwind and the airplane’s airspeed decreased. The airplane then exceeded its critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude. With insufficient height to recover, the airplane descended into trees located beyond the departure end of the runway and came to rest in an upright position near a tree line. The airplane’s wings, fuselage, and tail section were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3619J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3619J), registered now, S/N T18803565T, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T188C - Registry model: [Cessna T188C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t188c) (registry code 2073012) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: T18803565T - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 7402.7 - Engines: Lycoming IO-720 400 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Fisher AG Service LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2025, 26.8 hours before - Departed: 4I9, Mount Gilead, OH - Airport: 4I9, Morrow County Airport, runway 10, 3,495 × 65 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 19; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 16, 2025; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 318.2 total, 10.5 in this make and model, 216.6 as pilot in command, 88.2 in the last 90 days, 16.2 in the last 30 days, 0.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 5 knots - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: MNN, 12 nm away - METAR: KMNN 261253Z AUTO 21005KT CLR 26/23 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP186 T02610228 ## 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 20250626008939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250626008939A), Jun 26, 2025: Cessna T188C, Mount Gilead, OH, Destroyed. Pilot said he was departing rwy 10 at 0915 on June 26,2025 at Morrow County Airport with 235 gallons of water and 50 gallons of fuel on board. Shortly after… ## Other investigations on N3619J (1) 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. - [NTSB IAD96LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA153), Sep 25, 1996: Cessna 188 (N3619J), Pataskala, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: deterioration and fuel leakage from an engine fuel hose (with a service life that had been exceed, due to inadequate maintenance), which resulted in an engine compartment fire and subsequent damage… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200394. 151 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 148 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19403064&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%201%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19450745&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.