Cessna AT188B accident near Zellwood, Florida, October 24, 1993
On October 24, 1993 at about 12:31 pm local time, a Cessna AT188B, registered N731MF, was destroyed in an accident near Zellwood, Florida. 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
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1993 · about 12:31 pm local time
- Place
- Zellwood, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna AT188B
- Registration
- N731MF · no longer on the register · serial 18802995T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT LEVELED OFF AT 200 FEET AGL AND REDUCED THROTTLE TO CRUISE POWER. THE POWER CAME BACK TO IDLE RPM, THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL THROTTLE; HOWEVER, THE POWER REMAINED AT IDLE RPM. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE STRAIGHT AHEAD TO UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. ON TOUCHDOWN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED AFTER COLLIDING WITH FURROWS RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE LANDING AREA. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED FORWARD, STRUCK A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE BY THE FAA FAILED TO REVEAL THE REASON FOR THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: 38,000 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,077 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1993; 327 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D32B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 80X
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from MCO, 15 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.