Cessna T188C accident near Walhalla, North Dakota, July 17, 1991
On July 17, 1991 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2093J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walhalla, North Dakota. 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
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1991 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Walhalla, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2093J · no longer on the register · serial 03383T
- 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 AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING OPERATION WAS BEING CONDUCTED OFF OF A HARD SURFACED COUNTY ROAD. IT BEGAN TO RAIN, SO PILOT LANDED ON ROAD TO WAIT FOR RAIN TO STOP. A THUNDERSTORM WAS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST AND THE WIND BEGAN TO INCREASE AND GET GUSTY. THE PILOT DECIDED TO TRY TO TAKEOFF TO THE WEST AND RETURN TO AIRPORT. THE CROSSWIND WAS FROM THE SOUTHWEST. ON TAKEOFF PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE, DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, SETTLED INTO DITCH, AND NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,520 hours in all; 6,500 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 10,400 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,779 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1991; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSI0-520-RCT (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hardy Avaition, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N2093J 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.