Aitkin Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aitkin, Minnesota 56431
Sunday, July 13, 1997 14:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said the airplane accelerated normally to climb speed during takeoff. At about 100 feet above ground level (AGL), he noticed that the manifold pressure was low. 'All other engine readings appeared normal. The engine rapidly lost power.' The pilot attempted to land in a hay field adjacent to the airport. During touchdown, the main gear dug into wet/soft ground, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said, 'Engine power at touchdown was minimal to zero.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. The pilot said that he could not remember how the switches were configured for takeoff. A note in the Cessna A188B Owner's Manual under HOT WEATHER/HOT ENGINE START (300 Horsepower Engine) stated, 'During a restart after a brief shutdown in extremely hot weather, the presence of fuel vapor may require the auxiliary fuel pump to operate in the 'ON' position for up to 1 minute or more before the vapor is cleared sufficiently to obtain 8 to 10 gallons/hour for starting.' A paragraph in the Cessna A188B Owner's Manual under TAKE-OFF stated, 'With 300 horsepower engines, it is important that the auxiliary fuel pump be turned off for take-off. Otherwise, the mixture will be excessively rich, causing a serious loss in power.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). A factor relating to the accident was: the wet/soft terrain in the emergency landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City AITKIN
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56431
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AITKIN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AIT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 340
Airport Elevation 1205
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1413 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID AIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1205
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8618
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 265
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1646
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9746G
NTSB Number CHI97LA210
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18801586T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 30 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 3800
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JIMAIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 340
Aircraft Owner City KINGSTON
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30145
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code AIT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 3398
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --