Cessna 170B accident near New Boston, Texas, October 23, 1989
On October 23, 1989 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8188A, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Boston, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE DIRT BANK CONTACTED DURING THE LANDING IS CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1989 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Boston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8188A · no longer on the register · serial 25040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH DURING THE FLT AND HE SELECTED A PLACE TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING ROLL IN A FIELD, THE AIRPLANE HIT A DIRT MOUND AND THE AIRPLANE WENT UP ON ITS NOSE. EXCEPT FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF DEBRIS AND WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, NOTHING COULD BE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A POWER LOSS.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Carlisle AR at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Deka16 TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N8188A 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.