Cessna A188B accident near Satanta, Kansas, June 21, 1997
On June 21, 1997 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4954R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Satanta, Kansas (Satanta Municipal Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining aircraft control shortly after it had touched down during its liftoff. A factor in this accident was the premature liftoff during takeoff by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1997 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Satanta, Kansas · Satanta Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4954R · no longer on the register · serial 18802471T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he began the sprayer calibration flight's takeoff on a runway with a 10 to 15-knot crosswind from the left. He said the airplane lifted off the runway and touched down a short time later. The pilot said he had relaxed the right rudder pressure he had applied for the crosswind after the airplane lifted off. He said he did not reapply the rudder pressure after the touchdown soon enough. He said the next thing he knew the airplane was inverted on the runway. The owner/operator said fresh tire skid marks and propeller strike marks were on the runway that led to the airplane resting inverted on the runway. The pilot said he could not recall applying any brakes during the takeoff or landing sequence.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1K9 at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 1K9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,250 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from LBL, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N4954R 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.