Cessna A188B N731CH

Summary

On 20 July 2000 at about 13:30 local time, a Cessna A188B registered N731CH was involved in an accident near Statesboro, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 July 2000 at 13:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Statesboro, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

32.5107, -81.7206

Aircraft

Cessna A188B

Registration

N731CH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00LA226

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilots failure to calculate his takeoff distance for the conditions, resulting in an in-flight collision with a fence, trees, and the terrain. A factor in the accident is the FAA's failure to require of the manufacturer and the manufacturer's failure to make available in the performance section of the aircraft POH, specific adjustments to the, "Takeoff Distance with Dispersal Equipment" chart for conditions other than sea level, standard atmospheric conditions, zero wind, and hard surface runways.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated his personal criteria for making a westerly departure from his 2,000 foot, 2 to 3 percent uphill sloped, grass runway is 8 knots or more of wind from a westerly direction. According to the pilot owners handbook, (POH) the aircraft must be operated in the restricted category whenever it is operated above 3,300 lbs. or with special agricultural equipment. Performance data is limited for operations under the restricted category. Section 4, (Operating Limitations) of the POH contains the following cautionary verbiage with respect to operating in the restricted category, (1) "The adverse effect of soft runways and long grass can only be determined by a series of takeoffs at increasing gross weights on a trial basis", (2) "Conditions of high temperature, high altitude, rough takeoff surfaces, and terrain clearances at the end of the runway should obviously be taken into account in judging the proper takeoff gross weight of this aircraft", (3) "When agricultural equipment is installed, the takeoff ground run will not be effected significantly, but the air distance over an obstacle will be increased appreciably". Takeoff performance data is limited to one chart labeled, "Takeoff Distance with Dispersal Equipment", using the following conditions for its use; sea level, standard atmospheric conditions, zero wind, hard surface, level runway, with flaps 10 degrees. There are no adjustments shown for computing takeoff distances using other than these conditions. Upon attempting a westerly takeoff, the aircraft's tail wheel engaged the top strand of a barbed wire fence, and the aircraft collided with 35-foot pine trees west of the airstrip. The pilot reported engine power appeared insufficient for clearing the trees, but felt or heard no perceptible loss of power output. The engine was sent to the Teledyne Continental Motors factory for teardown inspection, with FAA oversight, and no abnormal conditions could be found in the core engine or its components.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.