Cessna A188B N731YT

Summary

On 18 July 1996 at about 13:00 local time, a Cessna A188B registered N731YT was involved in an accident near Merced, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 July 1996 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Merced, California, United States

Coordinates

37.3507, -120.4194

Aircraft

Cessna A188B

Registration

N731YT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chowchilla → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96LA276

Nobody was injured.

Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to ensure that adequate fuel was onboard to complete the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was returning to his base from spraying sulfur on crop fields near Merced when the engine suddenly quit. The pilot set up for a landing on a highway, but discontinued the approach when he observed there were many vehicles on the road. The pilot landed in a railroad right of way and collided with fence and sign posts during the ground roll. FAA inspectors examined the aircraft. No fuel was found in the aircraft tanks, which were determined to be intact. Only minor traces of fuel were found in the lines and distributor manifold.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.