Cessna 188 accident near Colon, Outside the U.S., January 8, 2025
On January 8, 2025 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered HCBMT, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Colon, Outside the U.S.. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under non-U.S. commercial rules. 1 person had minor injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2025 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Colon, Ecuador · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 A · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- HCBMT · no longer on the register · serial CT18803813T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEFT
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.