- Date
- July 17, 1995, 07:20 local (12:20 UTC)
- Place
- Aberdeen, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N731NPCessna A188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950717022479A
- Case key
- 37802
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 operator's and pilot's procedure of leaving the aircraft unattended with the engine running while loading agricultural chemicals into the aircraft. This resulted in the aircraft moving unattended and colliding with a ditch. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance inspection of the throttle cable resulting in failure of the worn cable.
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 started the engine and taxied the aircraft to the chemical loading area to prepare for flight. He left the engine running and exited the aircraft to fill the aircraft's chemical tank. While preparing to fill the chemical tank he heard the aircraft's engine increase in RPM. The aircraft began to move without anyone at the controls. Before he could catch the aircraft it collided with a ditch and came to rest. Postaccident examination showed the throttle cable had broken. According to the operator the throttle arm on the carburetor is spring loaded to the full throttle position.
Factual narrative
On July 17, 1995, about 0720 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N731NP, registered to Kimmel Aviation, Inc., collided with a ditch while moving with no one on board at Aberdeen, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot, who was not onboard at the time, was not injured. The flight was preparing for departure at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he started the engine and taxied to the chemical loading area. While the engine was left idling he placed the loading hose in the aircraft's hopper. He got off of the aircraft to start the chemical pump. The engine suddenly began to increase in rpm and the aircraft started to move. He attempted to catch the airplane but could not. The aircraft collided with a ditch and came to rest. Postcrash examination revealed the throttle cable had broken. According to the operator the throttle arm on the carburetor is spring loaded to the full throttle position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731NP
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18803027T
- Airframe hours
- 4,777
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Kimmel Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 7, 1995 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- M40
- Airport
- M40 · Monroe County
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
- 30
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,008 total · 3,652 in this make and model · 70 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CBM, 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.