- Date
- September 1, 1994, 06:41 local (10:41 UTC)
- Place
- Indian River, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N53184Cessna 188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940901024899A
- Case key
- 37596
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 total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons over terrain unsuitable for a 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
The agricultural application flight had just departed and was in cruise flight about 100 feet AGL when the engine failed suddenly. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field and struck a tree on landing roll. The airplane burst into flames, the pilot escaped and the airplane and engine were consumed by flames. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 1994, about 0641 eastern daylight time, N53184, a Cessna C-188B, registered to Indian River Flying Service, crashed in Indian River, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 137 agricultural flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was destroyed by postcrash fire and the pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from New Hibiscus Airport about 10 minutes earlier.
The pilot was en route to start applying a load of sulfur when he experienced a complete loss of engine power. He attempted a forced landing to a field and the airplane nosed over. After the pilot exited the airplane a fire consumed the airplane.
FAA inspectors attempted to examine the engine and airplane but the airplane was destroyed and most of the engine accessories were consumed by fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53184
- Reported as
- Cessna 188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 01669T
- Airframe hours
- 4,660
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Indian River Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 21, 1994 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- X52 · New Hibiscus, FL
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 17,609 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 17,500 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VRB, 15 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.