Cessna A188 accident near Whitewater, Kansas, August 17, 2018
On August 17, 2018 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna A188, registered N9076R, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Whitewater, Kansas. 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 partial loss of engine power due to low cylinder compression, which led to the forced landing following a pull-up maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s high gross weight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2018 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Whitewater, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188 B, built 1975 · all A188s on the register
- Registration
- N9076R · no longer on the register · serial 18802101T
- 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 was performing an aerial application flight with the airplane loaded with product near its maximum gross weight. As the pilot pulled up to reverse course after the second application pass, the airplane did not fly as expected. Because of his low altitude, he conducted a forced landing in the cornfield. The airplane came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage to left wing, vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizers, elevators, and rudder. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that one of the cylinders had low compression. This would have resulted in a partial loss of engine power. It is likely the airplane was at a low energy state during the pull-up maneuver to reverse direction, and the partial engine power loss would have further reduced the airplane's energy. These issues, combined with the airplane's high gross weight, would have made sustained flight difficult.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: KEWK Newton KS at 11:00 pm
- Destination: KEWK Newton KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KEWK, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 2, 2020. 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 | NTSB Form 6120 Not Received | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Email Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memo for Record FAA Findings | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9076R 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.