Cessna A188B accident near Twin Falls, Idaho, July 20, 1992
On July 20, 1992 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N78734, was substantially damaged in an accident near Twin Falls, Idaho. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1992 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Twin Falls, Idaho · 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
- N78734 · no longer on the register · serial 1880156T
- 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 OF THE CESSNA AG TRUCK STATED THAT HE DEPARTED WITH 50 GALLONS OF FUEL AND FLEW FOR ONE AND A HALF HOURS, CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. HE STATED THAT HE HAD A POWER LOSS DURING A PULL UP AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT. A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT WAS RECOVERED, AND THE ENGINE WAS RUN WITH NO APPARENT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 4,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1992; 243 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U03 Buhl ID at 1:00 pm
- Destination: U03
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from TWF, 3 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.