Cessna A188B accident near Crookston, Minnesota, May 18, 1998
On May 18, 1998 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4962Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crookston, Minnesota. 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 inadvertently stalled the airplane. Factors included the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion when the pilot failed to refuel the airplane. Another factor was fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1998 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Crookston, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4962Q · no longer on the register · serial 18802696T
- 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 reported that he started aerial spraying between 0530 and 0600 CDT that morning and continued spraying until the time of the accident. He departed the airport with another load of chemical but had not refueled. He reported that he was heading for a field at 100 to 150 feet above ground level when the engine quit. He reported, 'I immediately looked for a place to land and had to resort to a muddy field. While maneuvering the airplane stalled. While trying to recover the airplane struck the ground.' The pilot stated in a phone interview, 'I'm sure it ran out of gas.' He reported that airplane had been running well all day and had given no indications of anything going wrong. The pilot also stated, 'Fatigue was a major factor in all circumstances leading to the accident.'
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: 628 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 504 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,526 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 1998; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D14 Fertile MN at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from CKN, 20 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 N4962Q 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.