Cessna A188B accident near Pasco, Washington, July 27, 1984
On July 27, 1984 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N70296, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pasco, Washington. 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 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
- July 27, 1984 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Pasco, Washington · 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
- N70296 · no longer on the register · serial 18801881T
- 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 ACFT WAS LOADED WITH 1500 LBS OF DRY CHEMICAL (FERTILIZER). THE AIR TEMP AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 95 DEG F, RESULTING IN A HIGH DENSITY ALT. RISING TERRAIN EXISTED AT THE POINT WHERE THE PLT ATTEMPTED A TURNAROUND. IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN AWAY FROM THIS RISING TERRAIN, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY RIGHT WING CONTACT. THE ACFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DECREASED ANGLE OF BANK AND CLIMB, ADDED FULL PWR AND BEGAN DUMPING HIS CHEMICAL LOAD, BUT GROUND CONTACT COULD NOT BE AVOIDED DURING THE TURN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,820 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pasco WA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: Pasco WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°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.
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.