Cessna A188B accident near La Coste, Texas, May 20, 1989
On May 20, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731ST, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Coste, Texas. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR FLIGHT AT DEPARTURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Coste, Texas · 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
- N731ST · registry record · serial 18803125T
- 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 RESTRICTED CATEGORY AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTING FROM A DIRT RUNWAY AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED INTO A CORN FIELD AFTER REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF TEN FEET. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND SPILLED THE LOAD OF ETHYL PARATHION, A TOXIC LIQUID CHEMICAL. THERE WAS NO MECHNICAL FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND DURING THE ON SITE 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,700 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 7,580 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1989; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE La Coste TX at 8:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,150 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from HDO, 20 miles away
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 N731ST 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.