Cessna A188B accident near Hollandale, Mississippi, July 18, 1991
On July 18, 1991 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N9541J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollandale, 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
OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE NO. 5 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD BOLT DUE TO BEING LOOSE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THIS RESULTED IN THE DAMAGE DURING THE FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1991 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hollandale, 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
- N9541J · no longer on the register · serial 18803819T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING, THE ENG QUIT & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE NO. 5 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP SEPARATED. ONE OF THE TWO BOLTS (NO. 1) FAILED DUE TO OVERLOAD. DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE OTHER BOLT (NO. 2), NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE. BOLT NO. 1 WAS EXAMINED & FOUND TO HAVE SIGNATURES ALONG ITS LENGTH. AN UNDAMAGED ROD WAS REMOVED & THE END CAP INSTALLED. THE SIGNATURES OF BOLT NO. 1 WAS COMPARED WITH THE REMOVED ROD & IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT WAS LOOSE & THE NUT HAD BACKED OFF APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH. REVIEW OF THE ENG LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT IT WAS OVERHAULED ON 09/03/80. THE ROD BOLTS & NUTS WERE REPLACED AT THAT TIME. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE ENG HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 654 HRS SINCE OVERHAUL. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE LOOSE ROD BOLT ASSY.
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: 8,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 219 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1991; 219 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Planters Flight Service, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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 N9541J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.