Cessna 188B accident near Manter, Kansas, March 20, 1988
On March 20, 1988, a Cessna 188B, registered N21653, was destroyed in an accident near Manter, Kansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- March 20, 1988
- Place
- Manter, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188B · all 188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N21653 · registry record · serial 18800936
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CONDUCTING A TEAM AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION, THE TRAILING AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TERRAIN WITH THE RIGHT WING TIP, ROTATED IN A FLAT ATTITUDE ABOUT 2 TURNS, AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE PILOT SAID, WHILE IN A DOWNWIND PROCEDURE TURNAROUND, INTO THE SETTING SUN, HE GLANCED DOWN TO VERIFY HIS HOPPER LOAD. HE SAID HE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE LEAD AERIAL APPLICATOR, LOST ALTITUDE AND STRUCK THE TERRAIN. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THE BURNING ACFT, BUT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PLT SAID HE FELT A LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 538 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GCK Johnson KS at 10:45 pm
- Destination: Manter KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from GCK, 60 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.