Casualties unknown

Crop Duster Nose Over on Sand Bar During Gasoline Delivery in Alaska (N9037R)

Skwentna, AK, US

On September 11, 1988, a Cessna 188B (registration N9037R) operated by Bennett, Dennis E. was involved in an aviation accident near Skwentna, AK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

An airline transport rated pilot suffered serious neck injuries when his crop duster airplane nosed over after hitting a soft spot on a river sand bar landing site in rural Alaska.

Incident Overview

An airline transport rated pilot was flying a load of gasoline in a crop duster type airplane to a residence in rural Alaska. The intended landing site was a river sand bar located near the residence. According to the pilot and corroborating witnesses, the airplane's main landing gear encountered a soft spot during the landing roll, causing the aircraft to nose over. The pilot sustained serious neck injuries in the mishap.

Landing Location

Another pilot, who was also engaged in hauling gasoline to the same site, reported that the accident airplane landed off to one side from the area generally used as a landing site. This deviation may have contributed to the encounter with the soft spot, although the investigation did not explicitly state a causal link.

Aircraft and Pilot

The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate and was operating a crop duster type airplane. The specific aircraft type, registration, and operator were not disclosed in the source. The aircraft was carrying a load of gasoline at the time of the accident.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X26738. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.