What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted 8/16/2021
Summary narrative:
At approximately 1452 AKDT on August 16, 2021 a privacy data omitted Cessna 208, N97HA, call signprivacy data omitted experience a loss of control event at approximately 10,000 MSL while enroute from Fairbanks international airport (fai) to huslia (hsl) AK. The aircraft was in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at the time. The aircraft entered an uncommanded steep spiral dive to the right while descending to approximately 2500 MSL (approximately 1000 AGL) where the pilot regained control of the aircraft. Eight passengers and one pilot were on board; the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right aileron in the descent. The pilot declared an emergency with ATC and flew the aircraft back to fai without further incident. No injuries to passengers or pilot was reported.
Post flight inspection by company personnel, Textron, NTSB representatives, and FAA personnel discovered no mechanical anomalies or avionics failure.
Extensive investigation confirms subject aircraft departed into forecast icing condition at a take off weight FAR exceeding published aircraft limitations. ATC recordings and pilot interviews of other aircraft in the vicinity confirms moderate icing conditions, or worse, prevailed at altitudes subject aircraft was operating at. Onboard aircraft data collected confirms PIC failed to maintain minimum required air speeds for flight in icing conditions, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and aircraft loss of control.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ 8/16/2021
SUMMARY NARRATIVE:
AT APPROXIMATELY 1452 AKDT ON AUGUST 16, 2021 A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CESSNA 208, N97HA, CALL SIGN^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF CONTROL EVENT AT APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MSL WHILE ENROUTE FROM FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FAI) TO HUSLIA (HSL) AK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED STEEP SPIRAL DIVE TO THE RIGHT WHILE DESCENDING TO APPROXIMATELY 2500 MSL (APPROXIMATELY 1000 AGL) WHERE THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. EIGHT PASSENGERS AND ONE PILOT WERE ON BOARD; THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT AILERON IN THE DESCENT. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ATC AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO FAI WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO INJURIES TO PASSENGERS OR PILOT WAS REPORTED.
POST FLIGHT INSPECTION BY COMPANY PERSONNEL, TEXTRON, NTSB REPRESENTATIVES, AND FAA PERSONNEL DISCOVERED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES OR AVIONICS FAILURE.
EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION CONFIRMS SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED INTO FORECAST ICING CONDITION AT A TAKE OFF WEIGHT FAR EXCEEDING PUBLISHED AIRCRAFT LIMITATIONS. ATC RECORDINGS AND PILOT INTERVIEWS OF OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY CONFIRMS MODERATE ICING CONDITIONS, OR WORSE, PREVAILED AT ALTITUDES SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING AT. ONBOARD AIRCRAFT DATA COLLECTED CONFIRMS PIC FAILED TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM REQUIRED AIR SPEEDS FOR FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL AND AIRCRAFT LOSS OF CONTROL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.