Cessna A188B accident near Paris, Texas, September 14, 2005
On September 14, 2005 at about 2:02 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N9640G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paris, Texas (Cox Fld airport). 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
The loss of engine power due the failure of a connecting rod. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2005 · about 2:02 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Texas · Cox Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9640G · no longer on the register · serial 18801576
- 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 10,300-hour commercial pilot was conducting an aerial application flight. During the flight the airplane's engine experienced a drop in RPM. The pilot elected to return to the airport. While en route, the engine experienced a drop in manifold pressure and a emitted a large puff of smoke from the engine. The engine subsequently experienced a total loss of power and the pilot executed an emergency landing to a pasture. Upon roll out the airplane struck a barbwire fence and came to rest in an upright position. Examination of the engine revealed a hole on the top of the engine case, consistent with a connecting rod failure. The engine was found to have accumulated a total time of 766 hours, with 122 hours since its last inspection.
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: 10,353 hours in all; 6,434 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 122 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRX Paris TX at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots, gusting 19
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from KPRX
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.