Cessna A188B N731ED

Summary

On 29 June 1996 at about 11:25 local time, a Cessna A188B registered N731ED was involved in an accident near Opheim, Montana, 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

29 June 1996 at 11:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Opheim, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Opheim (S00)

Coordinates

48.8703, -106.5596

Aircraft

Cessna A188B

Registration

N731ED

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

Dawn

NTSB number

SEA96LA138

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to follow the proper short field takeoff procedure as specified in the Airplane Flight Manual, his improper use of wing flaps during the takeoff, and his failure to abort the takeoff (while there was sufficient runway remainin). A factor relating to the accident was: the presence of a berm beyond the end of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he loaded his airplane with herbicide and fuel in preparation for a local aerial application flight. He began to take off to the north on a 2,675-foot grass airstrip, after determining that light winds were from the southwest. After traversing about two-thirds of the runway without becoming airborne, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. He then began another takeoff to the south from the opposite end of the runway. He selected 'full flaps' for the takeoff. After traversing half of the runway, the airplane's tail 'came up,' and the airplane began to bounce up and down along the remaining runway length. The airplane overran the runway and impacted a berm, and its tail section was substantially damaged. The flaps were found in the fully extended (20 degree) position at the accident site. According to the airplane flight manual, the flaps should not be placed beyond the 10-degree position for a short field takeoff. The inspector also stated that the operator did not hold a valid agriculture operating certificate at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.