Cessna T 188C accident near Wray, Colorado, June 28, 1990
On June 28, 1990 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Cessna T 188C, registered N2870J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wray, Colorado. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT PROPER ALIGNMENT DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1990 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wray, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T 188C · all T 188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2870J · no longer on the register · serial 18803545T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS LANDING AT HIS RANCH STRIP. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT WING CAUGHT IN A STANDING RYE CROP AND SKEWED THE PLANE TO THE LEFT, 90 DEGREES. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND TAILWHEEL WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE FUSELAGE WAS BENT 45 DEGREES FROM JUST AFT OF THE PILOT'S STATION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,309 hours in all; 871 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 4,122 as pilot in command; 1,233 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,640 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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 N2870J 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.