Cessna 188B accident near Canton, Kansas, August 14, 1995
On August 14, 1995 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 188B, registered N9151R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canton, Kansas (Private Airstrip 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
failure of the pilot to obtain the proper flying speed or to abort the takeoff, while there was sufficient runway remaining, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1995 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Canton, Kansas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188B · all 188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9151R · no longer on the register · serial 18802133T
- 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 STATED THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF, HE PERFORMED A MAGNETO, PROPELLER, AND ENGINE INSTRUMENT CHECK. HE REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON A GRASS AIRSTRIP (2600' X 40'), THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL CAME UP APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, BUT HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS UNDERPOWERED. HE EXTENDED FULL FLAPS, AND THE AIRPLANE THEN BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND REMAINED IN GROUND EFFECT, WHILE HE VERIFIED THE CONTROL SETTINGS OF THE MIXTURE, PROPELLER, AND THROTTLE. HE CONTINUED TO FLY FOR ABOUT 1000 FEET, BUT HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN EITHER ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED. WITH TREES AHEAD, THE PILOT DUMPED HIS LOAD OF CHEMICALS AND MANEUVERED TO THE LEFT; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND DURING A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION.
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: 1,772 hours in all; 1,140 in this make and model; 310 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,997 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1995; 222 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D23 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,600 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N9151R 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.