Cessna A188 accident near Blue Earth, Minnesota, May 19, 1982
On May 19, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna A188, registered N9819V, was destroyed in an accident near Blue Earth, Minnesota. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Earth, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188 · all A188s on the register
- Registration
- N9819V · no longer on the register · serial 1880069
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLAGMAN STATED THAT DURING THE SWATH RUN THE ACFT WAS FOLLOWING THE CONTOUR OF THE FIELD. THE FLAGMAN THOUGHT THE PLT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE FIELD & WAS ABOUT TO CALL HIM ON THE RADIO WHEN THE ACFT PULLED UP TO ABOUT A 45 DEG NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE LEFT WING THEN STRUCK A TREE. THIS WAS THE PLT'S FIRST AERIAL APPLICATION JOB FOR THE SEASON. THE PLT HAD PRACTICED AERIAL APPLICATION FOR TWO HOURS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 1,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,985 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Blue Earth Flying Service, INC
The flight
- Departed from: 8Y0 Blue Earth MN
- Destination: 8Y0 Blue Earth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 023° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.