Cessna A188B accident near Chillicothe, Missouri, June 7, 2023
On June 7, 2023 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna A188B, registered N731UF, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Chillicothe, Missouri. 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
A partial loss of engine power due to a tear in the fuel manifold diaphragm, which prevented sufficient fuel flow to the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2023 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chillicothe, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B, built 1978 · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N731UF · registry record · serial 18803160T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained a partial loss of engine power while maneuvering to apply fertilizer to a corn field. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a clearing, during which the airplane struck trees and powerlines before it came to rest upright in an open field; a postaccident fire ensued. Examination of the of the airplane revealed that the cockpit and fuselage structure was mostly destroyed by thermal and impact damage. Examination of the engine revealed a tear on the fuel manifold assembly diaphragm. The tear in the diaphragm likely result in the fuel manifold’s inability to provide sufficient fuel pressure to maintain engine power, resulting in a partial loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Malfunction
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,710 hours in all; 1,626 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 4,660 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,247.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 2023; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 2,241 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from KCDJ, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCDJ 071851Z AUTO 01005KT 32/17 A2984 RMK AO1 SLP090 T03220172=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Email Correspondence | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Logbook | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Airframe and Engine Examination | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Evidence Forms | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N731UF 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.