Cessna T188C accident near Red Lodge, Montana, July 9, 1989
On July 9, 1989 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2165J, was destroyed in an accident near Red Lodge, Montana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. RISING TERRAIN, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND TREES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1989 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Red Lodge, Montana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2165J · registry record · serial T18803402T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,642 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1989; 144 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Laurel MT at 12:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Red Lodge MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
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.