Cessna 188 accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota, June 8, 1982
On June 8, 1982 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 188, registered N2087J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1982 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Devils Lake, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N2087J · registry record · serial T18803377
- 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 STARTED A SWATH RUN AT DUSK BY CROSSING UNDER A SET OF WIRES. AS HE CROSSED UNDER THE WIRES, ONE OF HIS MAIN GEAR STRUCK THE TOP OF A ROCK PILE. THE PILOT THOUGHT THAT BOTH OF THE MAIN GEAR HAD FAILED, AND HE ELECTED TO MAKE A BELLY LANDING IN A SLOUGH. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE REMAINING GEAR AND WENT OVER ON ITS BACK.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2087J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN82DTG05.