Cessna A188B accident near Langdon, North Dakota, August 10, 1986
On August 10, 1986 at about 11:30 am local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N2417J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Langdon, North Dakota (Langdon 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 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
- August 10, 1986 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Langdon, North Dakota · Langdon · 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
- N2417J · no longer on the register · serial 1880346OT
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE GROUND TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF THE ACFT LEFT MAIN GEAR BRAKE FAILED. DURING THE ENSUING RIGHT GROUND LOOP THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE ASPHALT TAXIWAY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,675 hours in all; 2,590 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 3,425 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,682 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1986; 133 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 am from GFK, 68 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.