# NTSB ATL00LA018: Cessna 208B, N1315A, Adjuntas, PR, December 23, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 23, 1999, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Adjuntas, PR - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48374 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL00LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48374/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA018 ## Probable cause The pilot continued flight into adverse weather conditions that included low ceiling and turbulence. Factors to the accident were trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - low ceiling (cause) - flight into adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - turbulence (cause) - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis While en route to the first schedule stop, the pilot heard a radio transmission that weather conditions in the vicinity of his next destination were 'bad.' Upon arriving, the pilot attempted to telephone Flight Service for a weather briefing and to file a flight plan. After efforts to contact Flight Service failed, the pilot elected to takeoff without a filing a flight plan. A few minutes into the flight, the pilot decided to return to the departure airport after the flight encountered deteriorating weather conditions that included heavy turbulence, and low ceilings. The airplane collided with trees as the pilot maneuvered the airplane. The post-accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a component failure. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane. A review of the en route flight charts disclosed that the terrain elevation at the departure point was approximately 24 feet. The terrain elevation at the approximate location of the accident site was 2,500 feet. ## Factual narrative On December 23, 1999, at 1600 atlantic standard time, a Cessna 208B, N1315A, collided with trees in a heavily wooded area near Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. The air taxi cargo flight was operated by M & N Aviation under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 135 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot received minor injuries and his passenger received serious injuries. The flight departed Ponce, Puerto Rico, at 1532. While en route to Ponce, the pilot heard a radio transmission that weather conditions in the vicinity of his next destination was "bad." Upon arriving in Ponce, the pilot attempted to telephone Flight Service for a weather briefing and to file a flight plan. After efforts to contact Flight Service failed, the pilot elected to takeoff without filing a flight plan. After a few minutes into the flight, the pilot decided to return to Ponce. Reportedly, the flight encountered deteriorating weather conditions that included heavy turbulence, and low ceilings. While attempting to maintain visual contact with the ground the pilot anticipated executing a left turn to avoid colliding with the high terrain. The airplane collided with trees as the pilot maneuvered the airplane. The post-accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a component failure. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane. A review of the en route flight charts disclosed that the terrain elevation at the departure point was approximately 24 feet. The terrain elevation at the approximate location of the accident site was 2,500 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1315A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1315A-2009-04-13), registration cancelled 2009-04-13, S/N 208B0655, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 208B - Registry model: [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (registry code 2073701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 208-0655 - Airframe hours: 1427 - Engines: P&W PT6A-114A 675 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: M&N Aviation - Registered owner: Ge Capital Corp Of P.R. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 2, 1999, 1,343 hours before - Departed: PSE, PONCE, PR - Destination: BQN, AGUADZILLA, PR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,985 total, 550 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 8 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PSE, 30 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19991223041859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991223041859A), Dec 23, 1999: Cessna 208B, Adjuntas, PR, Destroyed. (.4)While en route to the first schedule stop, the pilot heard a radio transmission that weather conditions in the vicinity of his next destination were 'bad.'… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.