Cessna 188A accident near Freeman, South Dakota, August 20, 2003
On August 20, 2003, a Cessna 188A, registered N8150V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Freeman, South Dakota (Private Airstrip 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 and clearance during landing roll. Additional factors included the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, the crosswind and the corn crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2003
- Place
- Freeman, South Dakota · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188A · all 188As on the register
- Registration
- N8150V · registry record · serial 188-0400
- 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 part 137 aerial application airplane sustained substantial damage while landing on a private grass airstrip. The pilot reported he was landing to the south with the wind from the southeast. He stated the landing strip was "sheltered" from the left crosswind by corn crop on both sides of the strip. The pilot stated he overcorrected for the crosswind and bounced the landing. The airplane drifted left and the left wing impacted the corn. The pilot reported that the resulting drag on the left wing caused a "ground looping effect."
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,150 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,395 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2003; 4 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D22 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: General Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: SD29 Menno SD
- Destination: Freeman SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from FSD, 35 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.