Cessna A188 accident near Sedalia, Missouri, August 6, 2018
On August 6, 2018 at about 8:15 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna A188, registered N4996R, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Sedalia, Missouri. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power during low-altitude maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined due to postimpact fire damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2018 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sedalia, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188 B, built 1975 · all A188s on the register
- Registration
- N4996R · no longer on the register · serial 18802483T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting an agricultural application flight. He stated that he felt a loss of engine power when he pulled up during a second pass over a field. He pushed the throttle and mixture controls forward, but the engine power did not increase. He dumped the payload and then located a landing area. The pilot flew the airplane at its best glide speed, and the airplane struck a tree short of the landing area. Subsequently, the airplane spun right. He pulled the control stick back and applied right rudder to maintain the airplane in an upright attitude before it impacted the ground and erupted into a postimpact fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the two propeller blades were relatively straight, consistent with a lack of torsion, indicating that the engine lost all power before impact. Postimpact fire destroyed the engine, engine accessories, and airframe, which precluded functional testing of any components. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Last flight review: June 29, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,077 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2018
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 4,891 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Lloyd Darter Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MHL Marshall MO at 7:30 pm
- Destination: MHL Marshall MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DMO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on September 19, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Email Request to Pilot for NTSB 6120 Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Airframe Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Engine Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation - Lycoming | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.