Cessna A188B accident near Elwood, Nebraska, August 14, 1997
On August 14, 1997 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731GE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elwood, Nebraska (Johnson Lake 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
the pilot not maintaining clearance from the bushes. Factors contributing to this accident were the pilot's inadequate preparation prior to the takeoff attempt, his changing flap positions during the takeoff run which degraded the airplane's performance further, and the bushes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1997 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Elwood, Nebraska · Johnson Lake Airport · 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
- N731GE · no longer on the register · serial 18802878T
- 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 said that before takeoff, he loaded the airplane with 130 gallons of water and chemical, placing the airplane near it's maximum restricted operating gross weight of 4,200 pounds. 'The temperature was about 80 degrees with high humidity from rain the night before.' The wind was light out of the west. 'I started my takeoff roll to the north on the grass runway, rolled 1,000 feet, and brought the tail up.' The pilot said he rolled another 500 feet, lowered five degrees of flaps, and started to lift off of the ground. 'The plane settled back down.' The pilot lowered the flaps to 10 degrees and tried to lift off again, but the airplane would not take off. 'The airplane impacted a bank with brush on it at the end of the runway.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. The Cessna A188B Owner's Manual states that for airplanes operated in the restricted category, 'Take-off performance at these gross weights is limited, and ideal field elevation, runway, and weather conditions are expected to exist in obtaining satisfactory take-off performance. Operation from fields in excess of 1,000 above sea level, rough or soft runways, adverse runway gradients, high outside air temperature, turbulence, etc., may prevent a safe take-off at these gross weights. All of these things must be considered by the operator.' The manual also states that, 'The optimum flap setting for take-off at the maximum restricted category gross weight with dispersal equipment installed is 10-degrees.'
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: 2,700 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,609 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1997; 284 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: 2NE0 at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from LXN, 6 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 N731GE 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.