Cessna A188B accident near Belzoni, Mississippi, July 1, 2000
On July 1, 2000 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N53208, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belzoni, Mississippi. 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's failure to refuel prior to departure resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2000 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Belzoni, Mississippi · 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
- N53208 · no longer on the register · serial 18801685
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he landed to refuel and reload chemical. While the chemicals were being loaded, he was distracted by talking to the customer he was spraying for. He forgot to refuel. At takeoff, the left fuel gauge showed empty and the right fuel gauge showed 1/4 to 1/2. After flying to the field, 4 miles from the airport, and making two swath runs, the engine surged. He turned toward the field for a landing and the engine regained power, surged again, and quit. He made a pancaked landing in the field. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector showed the airplane contained no usable fuel.
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
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,472 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 2000; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1M2 Belzoni MS at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from GWO, 25 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.