Cessna A188B accident near Montevideo, Minnesota, May 19, 1986
On May 19, 1986 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N9496G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montevideo, Minnesota. 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 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, 1986 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Montevideo, Minnesota · 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
- N9496G · no longer on the register · serial 18801501T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL FROM A ROADWAY THE WIND SHIFTED FROM A HEADWIND TO A TAILWIND. THE PILOT OF THIS CROP DUSTER TURNED TO AVOID A STOP SIGN ON THE ROADWAY AND ALLOWED HIS LANDING GEAR TO TOUCH DOWN ON A CROSSING ROADWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK IN THE FIELD BEYOND THE CROSSING ROADWAY BECAUSE OF ROUGH TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE KEPT THE PLANE LOW DURING THE TAKEOFF TO FLY UNDER WIRES RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE CROSSING ROADWAY. HE NEEDED TO KEEP THE PLANE LOW BECAUSE HE ROTATED LATER DUE TO THE TAILWIND.
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: 329 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 263 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1986; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D-23 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bonanza Valley Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°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.
Other NTSB records under N9496G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.