- Date
- June 17, 1993, 09:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Augusta, MT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9952JCessna T-188C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930617019239A
- Case key
- 41717
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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and terrain clearance while maneuvering on an aerial application flight. A factor relating to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.
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 made an aerial application swath run toward rising terrain, initiated a turn around maneuver, diverted his attention to keeping the spraying area in sight and the acft lost airspeed. He applied full power and attempted to dump the chemicals but was unable to dump the load before the acft impacted a hill.
Factual narrative
On Thursday morning, June 17, 1993, at 0940 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T-188C, N9952J, operated by Lohse flying Service, impacted the ground 14 miles southeast of Augusta, Montana, while maneuvering. There was no flight plan filed for the local aerial application flight, conducted under 14 CFR 137 in visual meteorological conditions, that departed Augusta, Montana on June 17, 1993, at 0925. The commercial certificated pilot suffered minor injuries in the accident and the aircraft was substantially damaged. A post impact fire was extinguished by the pilot.
The pilot reported he was making a swath run toward rising terrain, lost sight of the marking flag, and got off course from the last spray pass, causing a skip in the spray coverage. He said he pulled up, started a left turn, trying to keep sight of the field where he left off and noticed he was losing airspeed. He indicated he immediately applied full power, lowered the nose to gain airspeed and continued turning away from the rising terrain. He said he attempted to dump the chemicals to lighten the load but was not able to dump the load before the aircraft impacted a small hill.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9952J
- Reported as
- Cessna T-188C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T18803881T
- Airframe hours
- 1,605
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-T, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Lohse Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Lohse Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 26, 1993 · 349 hours before
- Destination
- 3U5
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,705 total · 281 in this make and model · 1,586 as pilot in command · 290 in the last 90 days · 128 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GTF, 33 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 N9952J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.