Cessna A188B accident near Rock Springs, Montana, November 24, 1986
On November 24, 1986 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4862Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rock Springs, 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
- November 24, 1986 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Springs, Montana · 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
- N4862Q · no longer on the register · serial 18802598T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF GROUND RUN IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, IMPACTED A DIRT BANK, GROUND LOOPED AND NOSED DOWN. DURING THE GROUND LOOP THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, DAMAGING THE MAIN SPAR.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,143 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 2,975 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,911 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1986; 159 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D23 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from MLS, 43 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.