Cessna A188B accident near Eastover, South Carolina, August 22, 1984
On August 22, 1984 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N9270R, was destroyed in an accident near Eastover, South Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1984 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Eastover, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9270R · no longer on the register · serial 18802198T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING A TURN-AROUND. THE HOPPER DUMP VALVE ON THE ACFT WAS FOUND CLOSED AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE FUEL TANKS WERE REPORTEDLY FULL (54 GALLON CAPACITY) AND 120 GALS OF BENLATE, A NON-TOXIC LIQUID HERBICIDEHAD BEEN LOADED ABOARD N9270R PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ACFT WAS SEEN IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT AREA AFTER IT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE BUT NO ONE ACTUALLY REPORTED SEEING THE CRASH OR THE FINAL SWATH RUN. THE FLT WAS OPERATED WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF GROUND PERSONNEL. THE WRECKAGE PATH AND THE POSITION OF THE WRECKAGE RELATIVE TO THE FIELD WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE PATTERN EXPECTED FROM A CRASH FOLLOWING A TURN-AROUND MANEUVER AFTER THE PILOT MADE A WEST-TO-EAST RUN. NO MECHANICAL OR PHYSICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WERE CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTORY TO THE ACCIDENT. ALL DAMAGES NOTED TO THE AIRFRAME WERE DETERMINED TO BE IMPACT RELATED. THE CAGE AROUND THE PLTS COCKPIT WAS INTACT REVEALING NO IMPACT DAMAGE. PLTS SEATBELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS HARDWARE WAS INTACT. HOWEVER THE FABRIC BELTS WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 550 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1985; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D-23 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: St. Charles SC at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MMT, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.