Cessna T188C accident near Bozeman, Montana, July 22, 1983
On July 22, 1983 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2834J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bozeman, Montana. 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 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1983 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bozeman, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2834J · no longer on the register · serial T18803528T
- 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 ACFT SETTLED INTO TREES AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING A SWATH RUN. THE FLT HAD BEEN IN PROGRESS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THE PLT STARTED THE 4TH RUN AND THE ACFT STARTED TO SETTLE. THE PLT DUMPED THE LOAD BUT DID NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE OR MIXTURE. HE HAD SET THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE FOR THE OPERATION AND TIGHTENED THE FRICTION ADJUSTMENT. THE MIXTURE HAD BEEN LEANED TO PEAK TEMPERATURE AND THEN ENRICHED SO THE CYL HEAD TEMP WAS PEAK TEMP MINUS 125 DEGREES. THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE WAS 32 INCHES AND THE PROP SET AT 2400 RPM THE PILOT WAS ASKED ABOUT HIS USE OR POWER AND MIXTURE AND HE SAID HE DID NOT MOVE OR ADJUST THEM FROM THE TIME HE SET THEM AFTER INITIAL LEVELOFF UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. HE SAIDTHAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT THESE CONTROLS WERE IN A NORMAL FLT POSITION. THE PILOT WAS WEARING A HELMET AND SAID IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THE ENGINE TO STOP AND HIM NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR IT. FROM THE CONDITION OF THE PROPELLER IT WAS DETERMINEDTHAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AT IMPACT. DURING INSPECTION, NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH THE POWERPLANT.
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: 1,490 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 760 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TS10-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from BZN, 7 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.
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.