What happened
On July 22, 2025, at approximately 0930 central daylight time, a Cessna T188C, registration N2802J, was involved in a fatal accident near Oregon, Illinois. The aircraft was being operated by Central States Aerial LLC for a Part 137 aerial application flight.
The pilot had arrived at Ogle County Airport (C55) earlier that morning and had completed five flights to a field located roughly 5 miles northeast of the airport. Following these flights, the pilot reported an issue with the product dispersal system. While the ground crew cleaned the spraybar screen, the pilot requested a partial chemical load to mitigate weight concerns should the dispersal system fail again.
After departing the airport at approximately 0930, witnesses observed the aircraft in a steep left bank over a cornfield. The aircraft struck powerlines, impacted the ground nose-first, and bounced before being engulfed in flames. The wreckage slid across a road, coming to rest approximately 100 feet from the initial impact point. The accident resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
Investigators located cut powerlines approximately 685 feet north of the departure end of runway 09, with portions of the lines lying across a road and a fractured utility pole leaning north. Evidence at the scene included a 2.5-inch deep cut in the asphalt road consistent with propeller contact, and a section of the right wing's outboard leading edge found near the cut powerlines, showing marks consistent with a wire strike.
Mechanical examinations of the aircraft revealed the following:
- Flight Controls: Continuity was established for the ailerons, elevators, rudder, and flaps. The elevator trim control cable had separated from its sprocket due to thermal damage.
- Fuel System: Both wing tanks were ruptured, and the fuel system sustained significant thermal damage. The fuel strainer and header tank were not recovered from the wreckage.
- Engine: A cursory examination of the engine showed thermal damage, but the crankshaft rotated freely with observed suction and compression in all cylinders. A borescope examination of the cylinders, pistons, and valves found no anomalies. The oil filter showed no signs of contaminants.
- Propeller: All three propeller blades exhibited bending, curling, and scratches. Two blades showed S-bending, and one blade had an 8-inch tip fracture.
- Structure: The cockpit and inboard wing sections sustained thermal damage from the post-impact fire.