# NTSB MIA97LA221: Cessna 188, N53240, Benson, NC, July 28, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 28, 1997, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Benson, NC - Coordinates: 35.369415, -78.539588 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3694&lon=-78.5396&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 7, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38317 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA221 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38317/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA221 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout during a swath run resulting in an in-flight collision with a cable, subsequent loss of engine power, forced landing, and an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power due to the separation of the gascolator (wire strike) resulting in fuel starvation. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - object - wire,transmission - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - fuel system,gascolator - separation - fluid,fuel - starvation - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot was making a swath run and collided with a cable separating the engine gascolator resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, forced landing and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Examination of the engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. ## Factual narrative On July 28, 1997, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 188, N53240, registered to Goldsboro Aerial Crop Spraying Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, experienced a reported total loss of engine power, while maneuvering on a swath run in the vicinity of Benson, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Erwin, North Carolina, about 30 minutes before the accident. The pilot stated he just completed a swath run to a cotton field, and encountered some turbulence about 20 feet above the trees. The airplane descended near the edge of a stall in the vicinity of the trees and power lines. He pulled up to about 250 to 300 feet, and was in a left turn when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. He lowered the nose and made a forced landing to an area that had undergone logging operations. The airplane collided with stumps separating the landing gear. Examination of the airplane revealed, "the aircraft struck a cable at the propeller, the cable disengaged and struck the left wing strut, then traveled below the left wing fouling on the spray boom under and trailing the left wing. The boom was pulled loose and the connection at the boom located under the fuselage center section was pulled in a straight line with the bottom. The routing of the manifold to the boom is located approximately 2 inches forward of the aircraft gascolator. When the boom was pulled from the plane, the manifold for the boom was pulled across the gascolator bowl and disengaged the gascolator bowl. Examination of the engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash failure or malfunction. For additional information see letter provided by First In Flight Aviation, Maintenance Supervisor, dated August 5, 1997. Review of weather information obtained from Raleigh Durham, North Carolina, for the time period of the accident revealed no recorded record of turbulence or downdrafts. The pilot submitted NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report by fax on August 4, 1997. The report was not signed or dated by the pilot or the operator. Numerous attempts to contact the pilot/operator at (919) 734-1936 were uneventful. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N53240](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53240-2012-12-12), registration cancelled 2012-12-12, S/N 18801703T (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 188 - Registry model: [Cessna A188B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a188b) (registry code 2073005) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18801703T - Engines: Continental IO-520D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Goldsboro Aerial Crop Spraying - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: 37W, ERWIN, NC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 2,396 total, 1,704 in this make and model, 2,364 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 28 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: RDU, 35 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970728025899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970728025899A), Jul 28, 1997: Cessna A188B, Benson, NC, Substantial damage. Struck wires on pullup from a run. Prop hit wire dragged under belly. Pulled off gascolator bowl. Lost fuel flow. (-23) aircraft flew into a powerline or… 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.