# NTSB ATL89FA071: Cessna 208B, N9330B, Madison, NC, January 11, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: January 11, 1989, 07:28 local (12:28 UTC)
- Place: Madison, NC
- Coordinates: 36.379253, -79.970291 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.3793&lon=-79.9703&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 7873
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL89FA071
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/7873/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89FA071

## Probable cause

IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA).  CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE:  LOW CEILING, FOG, DELAYED MISSED APPROACH BY THE PILOT, AND TREES.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - 
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - missed approach - delayed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - ifr procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)
  - minimum descent altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

AS THE PLT WAS EN ROUTE TO GREENSBORO (HIS DESTN), HE FLEW PAST SHILOH & NOTED THAT WX AT THE ARPT WAS CLEAR, BUT FROM ABOUT 10 SOUTH OF SHILOH, GROUND FOG EXTENDED TO THE SOUTH. AT 0634 EST, HE CONTACTED GREENSBORO TOWER & WAS ADZD THE RVR WAS 1600 FT. HIS MIMIMUMS WERE 1800 FT. HE HELD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THE WX CONTD TO DETERIORATE, SO HE DIVERTED TO THE ROCKINGHAM COUNTY/SHILOH ARPT, WHERE NO WX RPRTG FACILITIES WERE AVAILABLE. AFTER BEING VECTORED OVER THE ALTERNATE ARPT, HE WAS UNABLE TO GET ENOUGH VISUAL CUES FOR A VISUAL APCH, SO HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN SDF APCH. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE REACHED THE MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA), HE SAW THE RWY & PROCEEDED TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH. AS HE CONTD, PATCHY FOG BEGAN TO OBSCURE THE RWY, SO HE MANEUVERED THE ACFT TO KEEP IT IN SITE, THEN ELECTED TO GO AROUND. HOWEVER, AS HE BEGAN THE GO-AROUND, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED. ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 700 FT. MDA FOR THE APCH WAS 1120 FT MSL.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9330B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9330B-1991-04-01), registration cancelled 1991-04-01, S/N 208B0053 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 208B
- Registry model: [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (registry code 2073701) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 208B0053
- Airframe hours: 896
- Engines: P&W PT6A-114 600 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Atlantic Aero, Inc
- Registered owner: Atlantic Aero, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, November 23, 1988, 101 hours before
- Departed: ROA, ROANOKE, VA
- Destination: GSO, GREENSBORO, NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: NC14, Rockingham County/Shiloh, runway 31, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,100 total, 360 in this make and model, 1,800 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dawn
- Wind: 20° at 4 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
- Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: GSO, 20 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 19890111001389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890111001389A), Jan 11, 1989: Cessna 208B, Reidsville, NC, Destroyed. Went below mda on sdf approach and struck trees. Weather was below minimums. Also at alternate airports.

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.

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