Cessna T188C accident near Quitman, Georgia, August 4, 1991
On August 4, 1991 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2877J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quitman, Georgia. 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
A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE REASON FOR THE FUEL STARVATION WAS NOT DETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1991 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Quitman, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2877J · no longer on the register · serial T18803552T
- 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 AG PILOT WAS REPORTEDLY SPRAYING COTTON WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT, HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A NEARBY FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE LANDING ROLL. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY VOID OF FUEL EXCEPT FOR THE WING TANKS. THE FUEL TANK FINGER SCREENS WERE CLEAR. TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Reaves Flying Service, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from VAD, 20 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.