Cessna T188C accident near Mitchell, Oregon, May 10, 1997
On May 10, 1997 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N3152J, was destroyed in an accident near Mitchell, Oregon. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which led to a stall. A factor contributing to the accident was the lack of adequate altitude to effect a successful stall recovery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1997 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchell, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3152J · registry record · serial T18803610T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the pilot was on the ground surveying area of land that he intended on spraying, the airplane was loaded with a pesticide in preparation for an aerial application flight. The pilot then boarded, started, and taxied the airplane for takeoff with no problems noted. He took off to the east, leveled off between 25 and 50 feet above the ground, commenced a steep bank turn to the left, flew over a target field located adjacent to the airstrip, and continued to bank steeply toward the west. The airplane aerodynamically stalled while in a steep turn and suddenly descended into terrain in a steep nose-down attitude. Most of the witnesses did not perceive any unusual engine noises prior to impact. The airstrip was surrounded by rising terrain. The flaps were in the fully retracted position. An examination of the engine, airframe, and systems did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical deficiencies, except for the seat restrain systems. The shoulder harness belt, which was original equipment, was severely deteriorated and had failed during the impact. No evidence of pilot incapacitation was found.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,636 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,596 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1996; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Precision Applicators, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PDT, 55 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.