Cessna 188 accident near Jay, Florida, August 20, 1983
On August 20, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered N9261G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jay, Florida (Wells Flying Service 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 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
- August 20, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jay, Florida · Wells Flying Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N9261G · registry record · serial 18801441
- 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 PLT REPORTED THAT HE TRIED TO TAKE OFF ON A HOT DAY WITH A HEAVY LORD, BUT THE ACFT WOULD NOT PERFORM SUFFICIENTLY TO CLIMB OVER A DRAINAGE TERRACE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT BUMPED THE DRAINAGE TERRACE & CONTINUED FLYING, BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR TREES NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT THEN ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. DURING TOUCHDOWN IN A NEARBY FIELD, THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. APRX 35 MI SOUTH AT PENSACOLA, FL, THE 1557 CDT TEMP WAS 95 DEG. THE DENSITY ALT AT JAY, FL WAS APRX 2400 FT.
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: 2,739 hours in all; 2,028 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 28,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:57 pm from PNS, 35 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.