Cessna T188C accident near Big Timber, Montana, June 22, 1988
On June 22, 1988 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N4970J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Timber, Montana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- June 22, 1988 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Big Timber, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N4970J · no longer on the register · serial T18803792T
- 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 SAID HE WAS SPRAYING 2,4,D ON TWO BARLEY FLDS. HE HAD COMPLETED ONE FLD AND WAS TURNING AROUND WHEN THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. HE SAID WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO AVOID GROUND CONTACT THE ACFT STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE PLT SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ACFT OR ENG AND THAT HE JUST MUST HAVE HIT 'DEAD AIR' (A DOWNDRAFT OR TAILWIND). SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT REPORTED THAT IN HIS OPINION THE ENG WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ENG WAS THEN DISASSEMBLED BUT NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT A LOSS OF PWR WAS FOUND.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,200 hours in all; 3,800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1988; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Yellowstone Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: 6SO Big Timber MT at 12:00 pm
- Destination: 6SO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4970J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.