Cessna T188C accident near Riverton, Wyoming, July 4, 1991
On July 4, 1991 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2070J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Riverton, Wyoming. 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
THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1991 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Riverton, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2070J · no longer on the register · serial T18803360T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK RISING TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE FIELD THAT WAS BEING SPRAYED AT THE TIME.
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: 2,858 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days; 2,766 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: Riverton WY at 2:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N2070J 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.