Cessna A188B accident near Georgetown, Mississippi, July 21, 1984
On July 21, 1984 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731GV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, Mississippi. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 21, 1984 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N731GV · registry record · serial 18802893T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING A PULL-UP, THE PROP WENT TO A LOW PITCH ANGLE & THE ENG WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. HE NOTED THAT THE TACHOMETER WAS NEAR THE RED LINE & HE RETARDED THE PROP PITCH CONTROL & THE THROTTLE. ALSO, HE NOTED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAGE INDICATED NORMAL. THE PLT THOUGHT HE HAD ENOUGH POWER TO FLY TO THE EDGE OF THE FIELD TO DUMP HIS LOAD IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE CROP DAMAGE. HOWEVER, HE REPORTED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT POWER TO CLEAR TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN THE TREES & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE #6 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED ABOUT 1 INCH FROM THE ROD CAP. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOCALIZED OVERHEATING. THE #6 ROD RECEIVED SPLASH & SPRAY OIL FROM AN OIL PORT IN THE MAIN JOURNAL. THE MAIN JOURNAL BEARING APPEARED TO HAVE SPUN & CLOSED OFF THE OIL PORT, REDUCING COOLING OIL TO THE #6 ROD. THE PROP GOVERNOR RECEIVED OIL FROM THE SAME PORT. OBSTRUCTION OF OIL TO THE GOVERNOR WOULD ALLOW THE PROP TO DRIVE TO A LOW PITCH/HI RPM POSITION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,165 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.