Cessna A188 accident near Dover, North Carolina, April 15, 2021
On April 15, 2021 at about 8:05 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna A188, registered N731TB, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Dover, North Carolina. It was a personal 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
A total loss of engine power due to a shift of a crankshaft main bearing, which resulted in a lack of lubrication and subsequent overheating and failure of the engine crankshaft. Contributing to the accident was the hard touchdown during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2021 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Dover, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188 B, built 1978 · all A188s on the register
- Registration
- N731TB · registry record · serial 18803133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed to familiarize himself with the airplane and to practice maneuvers. A few minutes after takeoff, at an altitude of about 300 ft, he heard a “loud pop,” and the engine lost total power. He looked at the engine gauges and noticed that there was “no fuel flow.” As the propeller windmilled, he unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine, then elected to perform a forced landing to a nearby corn field. He stated that the landing was “hard.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, right horizontal stabilizer, and elevator. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft No. 2 main bearing had spun, smearing metal into the oil ports on the bearing bore and deforming the bore. Numerous fragments of bearing material were found in the oil sump and inside the case adjacent to the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders. Based on the available information, it is likely that the shift of the No. 2 main bearing resulted in a lack of lubrication and subsequent failure of the engine crankshaft. The reason for the bearing shift was not determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,857 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 7,152 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2021; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D26B (piston); 1,998 hours total
- Operator: Eastern Flying Services
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Dover NC at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from ISO, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 19, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statements from Pilot and Airplane Owner | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Information from FAA Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpts from Maintenance Logbooks | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Engine Examination Report | PDF, 31 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.