Cessna A188B accident near Ludell, Kansas, May 14, 2005
On May 14, 2005 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4734Q, was destroyed in an accident near Ludell, Kansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during an aerial application maneuver. The trees and the sun glare were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2005 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ludell, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4734Q · no longer on the register · serial 18802502T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed and the pilot fatally injured when it struck trees and terrain during an aerial application flight. The airplane came to rest in the field that was to be sprayed about 84 feet from a grouping of trees that had broken branches. No pre-impact anomalies were found with respect to the airplane. Evidence from the accident scene shows that the airplane was travelling in a northeasterly direction. The position of the sun was determined to be 78.4 degrees relative to north, and 15.6 degrees above the horizon.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 527 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2005; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADT Attwood KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from GLD, 40 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.