# NTSB CHI98LA084: Cessna 208B, N738FX, Grand Island, NE, January 20, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 20, 1998, 07:25 local (13:25 UTC) - Place: Grand Island, NE - Location: 40.9570° N, 98.2966° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from CENTRAL NEBRASKA RGNL (GRI), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9570&lon=-98.2966&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI98LA084 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10822/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA084 ## Probable cause ice build-up on the airplane's wings and empennage which led to an inadvertent stall and hard landing. Factors contributing to this accident were the pilot's inadvertent flight into icing conditions, and the icing conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor) - flight into adverse weather - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - empennage - ice (cause) - wing - ice (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot was in cruise flight at 4,000 feet mean sea level (msl), when moderate ice began forming on the airplane. The pilot requested and received approval from air traffic control to climb to a higher altitude. The airplane reached an altitude of 6,700 feet msl, and would not climb any higher. The pilot maintained 6,500 feet msl until he turned onto the VOR/DME approach for runway 31 at Grand Island. The pilot maintained an airspeed between 125 and 140 knots on the approach. When the airplane was over the runway, the pilot reduced the throttle from cruise power. The airplane began to drop. The pilot said that he added power, but it did not stop the sink rate. The airplane touched down hard on the runway, slowly veered to the left, departed the runway, and turned around 180 degrees in a field before coming to a stop. Approximately 1-1/2 inches of clear ice was observed adhering to the leading edges of the wings and empennage after the accident. ## Factual narrative On January 20, 1998, at 0725, central standard time (cst), a Cessna 208B, N738FX, operated by a commercial pilot, as Federal Express flight 8805, sustained substantial damage when on landing at Grand Island Airport, Nebraska, the airplane impacted hard on the runway and subsequently slid off the left side, approximately 1,500 feet down. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted as on demand domestic air cargo service under 14 CFR Part 135. An IFR flight plan was on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated at Omaha, Nebraska, at 0640 cst, and was en route to Grand Island, Nebraska. In his written statement, the pilot said that while in cruise flight between Omaha and Grand Island, he began to pick up moderate ice on the airplane at 4,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot asked Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), if he could be assigned a higher altitude to get out of the icing conditions. Minneapolis ARTCC approved his request. The pilot said that the airplane reached an altitude of 6,700 feet msl, and would not climb any higher. He reported this to Minneapolis ARTCC, and requested the VOR/DME approach for runway 31 at Grand Island. The pilot maintained 6,500 feet msl until he was approximately 14 miles from the airport, at which time he turned onto the final approach course. The pilot maintained an airspeed between 125 and 140 knots on the approach. The airplane broke out of the overcast ceiling at 2,250 feet msl. When the airplane was over the runway, the pilot reduced the throttle from cruise power. The airplane began to drop. The pilot said that he added power, but it did not stop the sink rate. The airplane touched down hard on the runway. The pilot said that following touchdown, he had no braking capability. The pilot used full right rudder and engine power to stay on the runway. The airplane slowly veered to the left, departed the runway, and turned around 180 degrees in a field, before coming to a stop. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the wreckage, found the airplane, upright in the infield, between runways 31 and 35, approximately 1,500 feet from the approach end of runway 31. The airplane's nose gear strut was bent to the left. The left main landing gear was bent aft and to the left. The left engine mounts and firewall were bent upward. The left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator showed heavy skin buckling. The left propeller showed no damage. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No anomalies with the engine, engine controls, or other airplane systems were found. The FAA inspector observed approximately 1 and 1/2 inches of clear ice adhering to the leading edges of the wings and empennage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N738FX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N738FX-2005-10-25), registration cancelled 2005-10-25, S/N 208B0482, built 1995 (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: 208B0482 - Airframe hours: 1139 - Engines: P&W PT-6A-114A 675 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Baron Aviation Services, Inc., doing business as Federal Express - Registered owner: Federal Express Corporation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 23, 1997, 41 hours before - Departed: OMA, OMAHA, NE - Destination: GRI - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GRI, Central Nebraska Regional, runway 31, 6,608 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 7,500 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 7,550 as pilot in command, 140 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dawn - Wind: 80° at 9 knots - Visibility: 2.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 500 ft overcast - Temperature: 27 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: GRI, 1 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 19980120009439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980120009439A), Jan 20, 1998: Cessna 208B, Grand Island, NE, Substantial damage. Ice on airframe dropped out on flare. Slid off runway. (.4)the pilot was in cruise flight at 4,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), when moderate ice began forming… ## Other investigations on N738FX (1) 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. - [NTSB ATL04IA098](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04IA098), Apr 27, 2004: Cessna 208B (N738FX), Tunica, MS, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper use of the emergency power lever which resulted in excessive operating temperatures. A factor was the improper adjustment of the emergency power lever dead band. 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.