Cessna A188B N9368G accident near Ripley, Mississippi

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed on final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power due to water in the fuel.

NTSB analysis

The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before starting the engine and letting it warm up for about 5 minutes. He then back-taxied on the runway and performed the run-up checklist before taking off. He subsequently flew the traffic pattern and was on final approach, at an altitude of about 500 feet, when the engine lost power about 250 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane then “went into a right hand dive and hit the ground.” A witness heard the engine “sputter and pop loudly,” and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector subsequently found water in the fuel. Propeller signatures indicated that it was turning under power when it contacted the ground.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10LA059 for the full record.