Cessna 188 accident near Covington, Tennessee, October 1, 1994
On October 1, 1994 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered N731PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Tennessee (Covington Municipal airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1994 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Tennessee · Covington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N731PS · registry record · serial 18803053
- 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 PILOT OVERSHOT THE CENTERLINE OF THE PREPARED RUNWAY AND LANDED IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED, BREAKING OFF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND DRAGGING THE WING ON THE GROUND. HE REPORTED THAT THE RUDDER HAD NOT RESPONDED TO HIS ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE OVERSHOOT. AN INSPECTION OF THE RUDDER SYSTEM SHOWED THAT IT WAS FUNCTIONAL. THE BRAKE PAD WAS NOT EXCESSIVELY WORN, AND THE SEVERED WHEEL BRAKE LINE DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY PRE-IMPACT DAMAGE.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, foreign licence, student
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 3,696 hours in all; 1,627 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,551 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1994; 242 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D(26) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M04 at 9:15 pm
- Destination: M04 TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from NQA, 19 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.