Cessna 188 accident near Bremen, North Dakota, July 29, 1995
On July 29, 1995 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered N9980G, was destroyed in an accident near Bremen, 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
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Deteriating aircraft performance was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1995 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bremen, North Dakota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N9980G · registry record · serial 18800780
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS SPRAYING A FIELD EAST OF BREMEN, NORTH DAKOTA. THE AIRPLANE WAS RUNNING WELL WITH NO PROBLEMS. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD 180 GALLONS OF CHEMICALS ON BOARD AND WAS TOO HEAVY. HE TRIED TO LAND IN A WHEAT FIELD BY APPLYING FULL POWER AND TWO (2) NOTCHES OF FLAPS, BUT HIT A FENCE POST TWO HUNDRED FEET SHORT OF THE FIELD. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD 'NOBODY TO BLAME BUT MYSELF' AND HE WAS 'LOADED TO HEAVY.'
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: 6,526 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ND47 New Rockford ND at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 pm from JMS
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.