Cessna A188B N9583G

Summary

On 8 July 1994 at about 15:40 local time, a Cessna A188B registered N9583G, operated by Lowder, Bruce D., was involved in an accident near Tifton, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 1994 at 15:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Tifton, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

None (NONE)

Coordinates

31.4597, -83.5101

Aircraft

Cessna A188B

Registration

N9583G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Lowder, Bruce D.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL94LA132

1 person was seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST, RESULTING IN AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF WITH THE ELEVATOR TRIM IMPROPERLY SET. A FACTOR WAS THE TREES AT THE PERIMETER OF THE AIRSTRIP.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AG PILOT WAS TAKING OFF WITH A LOAD OF WATER, TO PRACTICE AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE ABOUT 2/3 DOWN THE DIRT RUNWAY. AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TOWARD THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DUMP THE LOAD OF WATER; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT CLEAR PERIMETER TREES. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE TREES, CRASHED INTO AN OPEN FIELD, AND BURNED. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED THAT THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS IN THE FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST SPECIFIES THAT ELEVATOR TRIM BE SET FOR TAKEOFF (NEUTRAL). FULL NOSE DOWN TRIM EQUATES TO ABOUT 12 DEGREES ABOVE NEUTRAL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.