Cessna 188T accident near Town Creek, Alabama, August 8, 1995
On August 8, 1995 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 188T, registered N731MK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Town Creek, Alabama (Private airport). 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 FAILURE TO CHECK THE RUNWAY CONDITION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE SOFT RUNWAY WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1995 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Town Creek, Alabama · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188T · all 188Ts on the register
- Registration
- N731MK · registry record · serial 18802999T
- 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 HAD BEEN OPERATING FROM A PAVED RUNWAY EARLIER IN THE MORNING, BUT LATER THAT MORNING HE MOVED THE SPRAYING OPERATION TO A WET, SOD AIRSTRIP. REALIZING THAT THE SOD WAS SOFT AND WET, THE PILOT REDUCED THE CHEMICAL LOAD TO ACCOMMODATE THE SOD CONDITION. DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF RUN, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SOFT SPOT ON THE RUNWAY AND NEVER OBTAINED FLYING SPEED. THE PILOT JETTISONED THE CHEMICAL LOAD, AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 2150-FOOT RUNWAY INTO AN ADJACENT FIELD. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT.
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
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 1995; 191 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D-23B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from MSL, 13 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.