Cessna T188C accident near Delhi, California, February 24, 1993
On February 24, 1993 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2086J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delhi, California (Bettencourt AG Airstrip airport). 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 SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR TAKEOFF AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STANDING WATER ON THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1993 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Delhi, California · Bettencourt AG Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2086J · registry record · serial 03376T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE RUNWAY WAS BORDERED ON THE LEFT SIDE BY A FLOODED AREA OF LAND. AT A POINT ABOUT 250 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TAKEOFF AREA, A FINGER LIKE PROJECTION OF THE FLOOD WATER COVERED ABOUT SEVEN FEET OF THE 25 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THAT ON THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED THE STANDING FLOOD WATER ON THE RUNWAY, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER LEFT OFF THE PAVEMENT. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE. AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO ABOUT 25 MPH, THE PILOT SAID HE STEERED IT BACK ONTO THE PAVEMENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL CAME BACK ONTO THE PAVEMENT; HOWEVER, WHEN THE LEFT WHEEL ENCOUNTERED THE ASPHALT LIP OF RUNWAY THE STRUT BROKE OFF JUST ABOVE THE WHEEL. THE LEFT WING THEN STRUCK THE GROUND, DAMAGING THE WING INTERNAL STRUCTURE.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 2,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,431 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1992; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bettencourt Flying Services
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N2086J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2086J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna T188 42 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T1B 4,110 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,097 in the last ten years
- California 27,897 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2086J 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX93LA136.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.