Cessna 188 accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, June 29, 1991
On June 29, 1991 at about 4:09 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered N48430, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1991 · about 4:09 pm local time
- Place
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N48430 · no longer on the register · serial 188-02362T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, APPROXIMATELY 40 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE WHEN HE DEPARTED THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. ABOUT 35 MINUTES INTO THE SPRAYING OPERATION THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING A SWATH RUN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH 50 TO 75 FOOT TALL TREES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE FIELD, AND CRASHED IN AN ADJACENT FIELD 500 FEET BEYOND THE TREES. THE POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MECHANIAL PROBLEMS; THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THE FUEL IN THE DAMAGED FUEL SYSTEM.
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: 12,000 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brooks AG Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Town Creek AL at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from MSL, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N48430 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.