Cessna A188 accident near David City, Nebraska, July 15, 2024
On July 15, 2024 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna A188, registered N9807V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near David City, Nebraska (David City Muni 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2024 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- David City, Nebraska · David City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188 A, built 1966 · all A188s on the register
- Registration
- N9807V · registry record · serial 188-0057
- 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 of an agricultural airplane reported that as he rotated the airplane for takeoff, the airplane felt “squirrelly”, and began to turn to the right. The pilot corrected for the right turn, and the airplane took a rapid left turn that he was unable to correct. At the edge of the runway, he pulled up, became airborne in ground effect, and headed for a row of trees. Knowing he was unable clear the trees, he reached for the hopper dump handle; the airplane impacted terrain next to the runway and came to rest inverted. During the accident sequence the left wing separated from the airplane and the lower fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking off on runway 14. The nearest recorded weather observation reported winds from 010° at 13 knots.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 415 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 339 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 4,116 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D115BR (piston); 2,438 hours total
- Operator: Walvoord Spraying Service LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,676 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KOLU, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOLU 151956Z AUTO 01013KT 10SM CLR 34/24 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP083 T03390244
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA274.