Cessna T188C accident near Fort Benton, Montana, July 7, 1989
On July 7, 1989 at about 10:55 am local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2802J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Benton, 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
OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACHING BOLTS FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1989 · about 10:55 am local time
- Place
- Fort Benton, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2802J · registry record · serial T18803515T
- 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 TAKING OFF ON A DIRT STRIP WITH A LOAD OF CHEMICALS. AFTER THE ACFT ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 60 KTS, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT THEN SETTLED ONTO ITS LEFT WING & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT SAID THE ATTACHINGBOLTS ON THE GEAR HAD FAILED. AN EXAM REVEALED THE BOLTS WERE NECKED DOWN IN THE AREA OF THE FRACTURE (INDICATIVE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE).
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command; 250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 240 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Taylor Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 10:55 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 255° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 50 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 N2802J 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.