Cessna A188B accident near Aberdeen, Mississippi, July 17, 1995
On July 17, 1995 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731NP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aberdeen, Mississippi (Monroe County 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 OPERATOR'S AND PILOT'S PROCEDURE OF LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT UNATTENDED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHILE LOADING AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS INTO THE AIRCRAFT. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT MOVING UNATTENDED AND COLLIDING WITH A DITCH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE WORN CABLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1995 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Aberdeen, Mississippi · Monroe County · 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
- N731NP · no longer on the register · serial 18803027T
- 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 STARTED THE ENGINE AND TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE CHEMICAL LOADING AREA TO PREPARE FOR FLIGHT. HE LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO FILL THE AIRCRAFT'S CHEMICAL TANK. WHILE PREPARING TO FILL THE CHEMICAL TANK HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE INCREASE IN RPM. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO MOVE WITHOUT ANYONE AT THE CONTROLS. BEFORE HE COULD CATCH THE AIRCRAFT IT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND CAME TO REST. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION SHOWED THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD BROKEN. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR THE THROTTLE ARM ON THE CARBURETOR IS SPRING LOADED TO THE FULL THROTTLE POSITION.
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: 4,008 hours in all; 3,652 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,777 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1995; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M40
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from CBM, 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.