Cessna 188 accident near Napoleon, North Dakota, July 29, 1996
On July 29, 1996, a Cessna 188, registered N5708G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napoleon, North Dakota (Napoleon Municipal airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper use of the rudder to correct the airplane's drift to the right. A factor was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1996
- Place
- Napoleon, North Dakota · Napoleon Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N5708G · registry record · serial 18801138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the airplane encountered what the pilot described as a light, left crosswind. He said he corrected for the crosswind by lowering the left wing and applying opposite rudder to keep the nose straight. He said the airplane began drifting (skipping) to the right. He then applied full left rudder and the airplane ground looped to the right. The onscene investigation found the left wing main spar and skin had wrinkles in them, and the left main landing gear leg was protruding through the right wing.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 515 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 359 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,389 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1996; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D26B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ND45 at 11:00 pm
- Destination: ND45
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 pm from BIS
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.