Cessna A188B accident near Indianola, Mississippi, August 2, 2002
On August 2, 2002 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N4723Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianola, 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 failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with a transmission wire resulting in the collision and substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2002 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Indianola, 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
- N4723Q · no longer on the register · serial 18802494T
- 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 operator, during a spray run of a cotton field, the airplane collided with an unmarked power line. The pilot then immediately landed in the cotton field. The operator also stated that the pilot was familiar with the field he was spraying and thought that the airplane was clear of power lines so he initiated a climb, resulting in the contact. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that approximately 1 foot of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly were separated. Additionally, arcing was noted on the right wing lift strut, and the propeller was damaged.
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: 20,000 hours in all; 6,020 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 22, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,553 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 2002; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,380 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KIDL Indianola MS at 3:05 pm
- Destination: KIDL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KGWO, 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.