Cessna T188C accident near Choteau, Montana, July 29, 2002
On July 29, 2002 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2802J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Choteau, Montana (Choteau 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
Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inattention to fuel consumption (flight duration) which resulted in a total loss of power and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2002 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Choteau, Montana · Choteau · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2802J · registry record · serial T18803515T
- 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 departed his airport of origination approximately 0500 in the Cessna T188C "Ag Husky" with 52 gallons of usable fuel and flew 56 nautical miles to his first agricultural spray site. After dispensing insecticide he proceeded 29 nautical miles on to the next dispensing site and then flew 16 nautical miles to his next intended refueling point. On short final the engine lost power and the pilot executed a hard forced landing short of runway 23 approximately 0720. Post-crash examination by FAA inspectors revealed a total of 7-8 ounces of fuel aboard the aircraft. Specifications within the T188C Information Manual indicated that the range of the aircraft at 6,500 feet above sea level and 75% power is 250 miles or 2.1 hours.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,350 hours in all; 165 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,215 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 2002; 241 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 79S Ft. Benton MT at 11:00 am
- Destination: CII
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from GTF, 38 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.
Other NTSB records under N2802J 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.