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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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August 24, 1985 · Cessna A188B · N4830Q

Farmville, VA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 24, 1985
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Farmville, VA
Aircraft
Cessna A188B
Tail Number
N4830Q
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
BFO85FID04

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING HIS THIRD SWATH RUN OVER A FIELD, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. HE STOPPED SPRAYING AND ATTEMPTED TO GAIN ALTITUDE, BUT THE ROUGHNESS INCREASED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FLYING. AS HE PREPARED TO DUMP THE CHEMICALS, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. IT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT WITH TREES & THE TERRAIN. AN EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS A CARBON RESIDUE ON THE DISTRIBUTOR OF THE LEFT MAGNETO AND EVIDENCE OF ARCING BETWEEN THE #5 AND #6 DISTRIBUTOR TERMINALS.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING HIS THIRD SWATH RUN OVER A FIELD, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. HE STOPPED SPRAYING AND ATTEMPTED TO GAIN ALTITUDE, BUT THE ROUGHNESS INCREASED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FLYING. AS HE PREPARED TO DUMP THE CHEMICALS, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. IT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT WITH TREES & THE TERRAIN. AN EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS A CARBON RESIDUE ON THE DISTRIBUTOR OF THE LEFT MAGNETO AND EVIDENCE OF ARCING BETWEEN THE #5 AND #6 DISTRIBUTOR TERMINALS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:00 EDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna A188B
Tail NumberN4830Q
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 137
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520-D-23 · Reciprocating · 300
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 29 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind270° @ 5 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingUnknown 1000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data