Cessna A188B accident near New Market, Maryland, August 26, 1991
On August 26, 1991, a Cessna A188B, registered N8284G, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Market, Maryland. 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE INOPERATIVE FUEL QUANTITY GAGES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1991
- Place
- New Market, Maryland · 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
- N8284G · no longer on the register · serial 18801285T
- 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 SAID THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AS HE WAS RETURNING FROM AN AERIAL APPLICATION. HE STATED THAT HIS FUEL GAGES WERE NOT OPERATIVE, AND DURING THE PREFLIGHT, HE ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD ABOUT 1.5 HOURS OF FUEL ABOARD. HE SAID THE FLIGHT LASTED ABOUT 50 MINUTES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN A FIELD WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND WAS DAMAGED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD BEEN MORE CAREFUL IN CHECKING THE FUEL TANKS AND REFUELING AFTER EACH TRIP. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.
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: 1,338 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,261 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 130 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: CGE Cambridge MD at 10:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from NHK, 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.
Other NTSB records under N8284G 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.