Cessna T-188 accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota, July 9, 1990
On July 9, 1990, a Cessna T-188, registered N2087J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota. It was an other work-use 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN IS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1990
- Place
- Devils Lake, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T-188 · all T-188s on the register
- Registration
- N2087J · registry record · serial T-18803377T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FLYING TO CLEAN HIS SPRAY EQUIPMENT. DURING LOW LEVEL CRUISE, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT SELECTED A FIELD AND MADE A FORCED LANDING. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT SPRAY BOOM DUG INTO THE TERRAIN AND THE PLANE WAS TWISTED, DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE, TAIL SECTION AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.
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: 5,031 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 4,913 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no 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-T1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N2087J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN90LA158.