Cessna 188B accident near Elizabeth City, North Carolina, September 8, 1990
On September 8, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 188B, registered N731NY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elizabeth City, North Carolina (Fletcher'S Airfield). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF. EXISTING CROSSWINDS AND GUSTS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elizabeth City, North Carolina · Fletcher'S Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188B · all 188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N731NY · no longer on the register · serial 18803263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF FOR AN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, AND AT ABOUT TWO FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO PICK UP SPEED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTEDLY NEAR MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT KEPT THE POWER UP AND PULLED BACK ON THE STICK TO AVOID A DRY CANAL BED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE DITCH, ENTERED A BEAN FIELD, AND GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS OVERLOADED FOR THE EXISTING FIELD CONDITIONS. HE REPORTED CROSSWINDS AND GUSTS TO 15 KTS. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,034 hours in all; 1,625 in this make and model; 207 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 3,823 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,787 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 1990; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D-32 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1NC3 at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ECG, 4 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.