History of Flight
On June 28, 2011, about 1800 central daylight time, a Cessna A188A, registration N1588M, impacted the ground and caught fire after takeoff from a private airstrip near Estelline, South Dakota. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage from the impact and subsequent fire. The aircraft was operated by Thompson Farm Air LLC under 14 CFR Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual flight rules conditions prevailed, and the flight was not on a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported recalling the takeoff but had no memory of the accident itself. The aircraft owner stated that the pilot took off and turned to the north-northwest, crashing approximately 0.5 miles northeast of the airstrip. Winds were about 10 knots from the southeast. The left wing tip struck the ground about 50 yards from the final resting location. The fuel tanks had just been filled, and the hopper tank contained approximately 125 gallons of chemical.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, helicopter, instrument airplane, and instrument helicopter. He also held a flight instructor certificate in those categories. The pilot reported 1,400 total flight hours, with 67 hours in Cessna A188A aircraft.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a Cessna A188A, serial number 18800688. It was a low-wing, strut-braced monoplane with fixed conventional (taildragger) landing gear. Power was provided by a Continental IO-520-D engine (serial number 159648-70D) rated at 300 horsepower. The aircraft was used for agricultural spraying. Its most recent annual inspection was completed on April 8, 2011. At that time, the airframe had 3,993 total hours, and the engine had accrued 649 hours since overhaul.
Meteorological Information
At 1753, the recorded weather at Watertown Regional Airport, about 20 miles northwest of the accident site, included wind from 180 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 24°C, and dew point 11°C.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination by Federal Aviation Administration personnel revealed the airplane came to rest upright. The left main landing gear had separated from the fuselage; the right main landing gear was partially separated and folded under the main wreckage. The aft fuselage was bent left just aft of the pilot compartment. Tail surfaces remained attached with minimal impact damage but varying fire damage. The forward fuselage, including the pilot compartment, exhibited impact and fire damage; the steel tube framework was deformed, and the aluminum covering had melted.
The right wing remained attached and was mostly intact, with both aileron and flap attached. The left wing had separated and rested adjacent to the main wreckage; its aileron and flap remained attached. The left wing tip fairing had separated and was near the initial ground scar. The outboard 2 feet of the left wing were bent upward.
The engine had separated from the airframe and was examined later; no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation were found. Examination of the airframe, engine, and airplane systems revealed no preimpact anomalies.