No fatalities

Aerial Application Stall During Turn

Devils Lake, ND, United States

On July 22, 2011, a CESSNA A188B operated by Wakefield Flight Service Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Devils Lake, ND. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in a stall during the aerial application. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane stalled while the pilot was turning to line up for a spray pass during an aerial application. The aircraft impacted a field, sustaining substantial wing damage.

Incident Overview and Damage Assessment The accident occurred while the pilot was conducting an aerial application of a field. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings after impacting the field. ## Sequence of Events During the operation, the pilot executed a turn intended to line up the airplane for the next spray pass. As the turn progressed, the airplane's airspeed slowed, leading to a stall. The loss of airspeed caused the aircraft to impact the field. ## Pilot Statement The pilot stated that he should have discontinued the turn rather than attempt to align the airplane for the next spray pass.

Contributing factors

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedCapability exceeded

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 22 Jul 2011 CESSNA A188B accident near Devils Lake, ND?

An airplane stalled while the pilot was turning to line up for a spray pass during an aerial application. The aircraft impacted a field, sustaining substantial wing damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 22 Jul 2011 CESSNA A188B accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 22 Jul 2011 involved a CESSNA A188B, operated by Wakefield Flight Service Inc, at Devils Lake, ND.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in a stall during the aerial application.