Cessna A188B accident near Seminole, Texas, August 30, 1999
On August 30, 1999 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731JY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seminole, Texas (Hamilton Aircraft, INC. airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot seat disengaging from the seat track resulting from inadequate AD compliance during the last annual inspection. A factor was the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1999 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Seminole, Texas · Hamilton Aircraft, INC. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N731JY · no longer on the register · serial 18802941T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the agricultural airplane departed the right side of the runway, rolled into soft terrain, and subsequently nosed over to the inverted position. The pilot reported that during the landing roll, his seat became dislodged from the seat track. He further reported that since his left leg is shorter than his right leg, when the seat slid all the way back, it caused his left foot to lose contact with the rudder pedal. Examination of the seat by an FAA inspector revealed that the forward left seat roller housing assembly had spread open to near the width of the seat rail, allowing the seat to dislodge from the locked position. According to the inspector, the airplane's maintenance records indicated that AD 87-20-03 R2 (to assure proper engagement of the seat locking mechanism and to preclude inadvertent seat slippage) had been complied with at the last annual inspection. However, the inspector stated that the AD had not been properly accomplished, since his examination of the seat revealed that it did not meet the locking pin engagement requirements of the AD. Time since the last annual inspection was 249.4 hours.
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: 4,200 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 4,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,288 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1999; 249 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4TX6 TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 5TAO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,280 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from HOB, 31 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.