Cessna 188 accident near Little York, Indiana, September 1, 1983
On September 1, 1983 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered N9986G, was destroyed in an accident near Little York, Indiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- September 1, 1983 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Little York, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N9986G · no longer on the register · serial 18800786
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE CIRCLED & LOOKED FOR WIRES & OBSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO SPRAYING. DURING A RUN HE FLEW OVER A FIRST SET OF WIRES BUT STRUCK A SECOND SET OF WIRES WHICH WERE NOT MARKED & THE POLES WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE BECAUSE THEY WERE IN TREES. FROM THE DIRECTION THE ACFT WAS FLYING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THE PLT TO SEE THE WIRES THE ACFT STRUCK.
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: 2,700 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Madison IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from IND, 50 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.