Cessna A188B accident near Statesboro, Georgia, July 20, 2000
On July 20, 2000 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesboro, Georgia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to calculate his takeoff distance for the conditions, resulting in an in-flight collision with a fence, trees, and the terrain. A factor in the accident is the FAA's failure to require of the manufacturer and the manufacturer's failure to make available in the performance section of the aircraft POH, specific adjustments to the, "Takeoff Distance with Dispersal Equipment" chart for conditions other than sea level, standard atmospheric conditions, zero wind, and hard surface runways.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2000 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Statesboro, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N731CH · no longer on the register · serial 18802788T
- 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 his personal criteria for making a westerly departure from his 2,000 foot, 2 to 3 percent uphill sloped, grass runway is 8 knots or more of wind from a westerly direction. According to the pilot owners handbook, (POH) the aircraft must be operated in the restricted category whenever it is operated above 3,300 lbs. or with special agricultural equipment. Performance data is limited for operations under the restricted category. Section 4, (Operating Limitations) of the POH contains the following cautionary verbiage with respect to operating in the restricted category, (1) "The adverse effect of soft runways and long grass can only be determined by a series of takeoffs at increasing gross weights on a trial basis", (2) "Conditions of high temperature, high altitude, rough takeoff surfaces, and terrain clearances at the end of the runway should obviously be taken into account in judging the proper takeoff gross weight of this aircraft", (3) "When agricultural equipment is installed, the takeoff ground run will not be effected significantly, but the air distance over an obstacle will be increased appreciably". Takeoff performance data is limited to one chart labeled, "Takeoff Distance with Dispersal Equipment", using the following conditions for its use; sea level, standard atmospheric conditions, zero wind, hard surface, level runway, with flaps 10 degrees. There are no adjustments shown for computing takeoff distances using other than these conditions. Upon attempting a westerly takeoff, the aircraft's tail wheel engaged the top strand of a barbed wire fence, and the aircraft collided with 35-foot pine trees west of the airstrip. The pilot reported engine power appeared insufficient for clearing the trees, but felt or heard no perceptible loss of power output. The engine was sent to the Teledyne Continental Motors factory for teardown inspection, with FAA oversight, and no abnormal conditions could be found in the core engine or its components.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 7,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,720 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2000; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 199°F (93°C), dew point 169°F (76°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from SAV, 40 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.