Cessna A188B accident near Saint Charles, Missouri, July 15, 1996
On July 15, 1996 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N9703J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Charles, Missouri. 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
a partial loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. The factors involved were the pilot did not perform load jettison and low airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1996 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Charles, Missouri · 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
- N9703J · registry record · serial 18803841T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting aerial application maneuvers, the pilot noticed a partial loss of engine power. The pilot tried to climb over the trees but was unable to due to the loss of airspeed. He was unable to dump his chemical load and impacted terrain hard. No discrepancies were found with the engine or dump valve.
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: 2,410 hours in all; 1,590 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1996; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3SZ at 3:05 pm
- Destination: 3SZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from STL, 11 miles away
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.