Cessna A188B accident near Decatur, Alabama, July 3, 1995
On July 3, 1995 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N6296G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Alabama. 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 SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE UNDETERMINED AIRCRAFT PROBLEM AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1995 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6296G · no longer on the register · serial 18801179T
- 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, THE AIRPLANE OPERATED NORMALLY UNTIL AFTER ARRIVING AT THE FIELD TO BE SPRAYED. HE STATED THAT DURING THE FOURTH SWATH RUN, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT FEEL AS 'SOLID' AS IT HAD EARLIER. HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. DURING A TEST RUN, THE ENGINE PRODUCED RATED POWER.
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: 6,810 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 6,468 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,983 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1995; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCU AL at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from HSV, 12 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.