Cessna A188B accident near Hornersville, Missouri, June 17, 2003
On June 17, 2003 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N70403, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hornersville, Missouri (Hornersville Memorial 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 maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff. A contributing factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2003 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hornersville, Missouri · Hornersville Memorial Airport · 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
- N70403 · registry record · serial 18801912T
- 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 airplane was substantially damaged when it veered off the side of the runway during takeoff. The pilot reported he prematurely raised the tail of the airplane during takeoff. He stated the airplane "weather vaned" into the wind and he lost control. The wings impacted the ground and the right main gear collapsed. A weather station 11 nautical miles from the accident site reported the winds from 060 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot reported east winds at 12 knots at the scene.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2003; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 37M Hornersville MO at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,648 ft by 47 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from BYH, 11 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.