- Date
- June 19, 1993, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Holly Grove, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4804QCessna AT188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930619019659A
- Case key
- 18777
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
Total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion due to the pilot not refueling. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
Shortly after takeoff the airplane was over a wooded area in a right turn into the field to be sprayed when a total loss of engine power occurred. As the pilot dumped the load, the airplane entered a roll. The airplane impacted 75 foot tall trees and terrain. On site examination revealed fuel tank integrity with no fuel available in the tanks. An examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have contributed to the power loss.
Factual narrative
On June 19, 1993, at approximately 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna AT188B, N4804Q, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing due to a loss of engine power near Holly Grove, Arkansas. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area for the local aerial application flight.
During interviews, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the investigator in charge with company personnel and relatives, the following information was revealed. The pilot had climbed to spraying altitude and started a right turn over a wooded area when a total loss of engine power occurred. The airplane entered a roll as the pilot dumped the load. The pilot stated that he released the control stick and braced for the impact. During the emergency descent the airplane hit the top of trees approximately 75 feet high and subsequently impacted the ground.
On site examination by the airplane manufacturer representative revealed flight control continuity and fuel tank integrity with no fuel available in the tanks.
An examination of the engine by the engine manufacturer representative and a FAA inspector did not reveal any discrepancies that would have contributed to the power loss.
The airplane was released to the owner's representative following the investigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4804Q
- Reported as
- Cessna AT188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802542T
- Airframe hours
- 5,883
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Parks, Larry T.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 21, 1993 · 150 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 600 in this make and model · 1,350 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBF, 30 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 N4804Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.