Cessna A188B accident near Basin, Wyoming, August 22, 1987
On August 22, 1987 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N72414, was substantially damaged in an accident near Basin, Wyoming (Private 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 22, 1987 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Basin, Wyoming · Private · 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
- N72414 · no longer on the register · serial 188019471
- 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 PLT WAS TAKING OFF ON A PRIVATE, 2300 FT, DIRT, AG STRIP WITH A LOAD OF CHEMICALS. THE ARPT ELEV WAS 4185 FT & THE RPRTD TEMP WAS 74 DEG. THE PLT SAID THE WIND WAS CALM WHEN HE BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL, BUT ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND. ALSO, HE SAID THERE WERE CUMULUS CLOUDS IN THE VCNTY & THE GUST WAS FROM THE TAIL OF THE ACFT. AT THAT POINT, HE WAS COMMITTED EITHER TO CONT THE TAKEOFF OR TO HIT A DITCH AT THE END OF THE RWY. HE ELECTED TO CONT THE TAKEOFF. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT IT STALLED & CRASHED ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE STRIP.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1987; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.