Cessna A188B accident near Meade, Kansas, June 19, 1992
On June 19, 1992 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4813R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meade, Kansas (Meade Minicipal airport). 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION AND HIS EXCEEDING THE AIRCRAFT'S TAKEOFF CAPABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1992 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Meade, Kansas · Meade Minicipal · 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
- N4813R · no longer on the register · serial 18802333
- 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 PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE STATED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FELT 'SPONGY' AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF FOR AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT OBTAINED AN ALTITUDE GREATER THAN 25 FEET BEFORE SETTLING TO THE GROUND IN A ROUGH UNEVEN FIELD PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT JETTISONED THE LOAD. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TEMPERATURE WAS 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF. THE AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 2528 FEET MSL. THE PILOT CITED, 'REDUCED ENGINE EFFICIENCY (APPARENTLY), HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY, LITTLE WIND, GROSS WEIGHT AT MAX, AND PILOT FATIGUE' AS FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,990 hours in all; 690 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,950 as pilot in command; 2,860 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1992; 147 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bringham Flying Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MEJ KS at 12:44 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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.