Cessna A188B accident near Sherman, Texas, August 8, 1994
On August 8, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4826R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sherman, Texas. It was a ferry 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE LEAKING FUEL CAPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sherman, 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
- N4826R · no longer on the register · serial 18802345T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE POWER LOSS WHILE AT 1,800 FEET AGL, ABOUT 8 MILES SHORT OF HIS INTENDED REFUELING STOP. HE SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. HOWEVER, ONE WING STRUCK A TREE ON SHORT FINAL AND THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK CAPS HAD BEEN LEAKING. THE LEAK RATE WAS NOT DETERMINED, BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN VISIBLE TO THE PILOT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNK Snyder TX at 2:21 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from DAL, 45 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.
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.