DEN03FA012

The airplane departed Las Vegas, Nevada, approximately 0919, on an IFR flight plan to Midland, Texas. The pilot climbed to an initial cruising altitude of 13,000 feet. At 1005, the pilot contacted Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB) and reported that he was level at 13,000 feet. At 1009, the pilot requested to climb to 15,000 and the ZAB controller approved the request. At 1013:55, the pilot contacted Albuquerque Flight Watch and reported that he was approximately 23 miles west of Flagstaff, Arizona at 15,000 feet, and that about 20 miles west of his position, at 13,000 feet, he encountered "light mixed icing." The pilot requested any PIREP's. Flight Watch reported that a PIREP for "a trace of rime icing at 12,000," was reported by an airplane climbing westbound out of Albuquerque. The pilot acknowledged and asked for the weather across New Mexico. Flight Watch advised the pilot to stand by while he gathered the reports. At 1015:15, the pilot contacted ZAB. He reported, "getting...mixed...right...now," and requested to climb to 17,000 feet. At 1015:57 the controller cleared the airplane to 17,000 feet. At 1016:35, the FW specialist repeated the report of trace icing near Albuquerque. The pilot did not reply. ZAB radar indicated the airplane climbed to 15,200 feet then entered a rapid descent. At 1017:08, a broken transmission was received. No further communications were received from the airplane. Radar contact was lost with the airplane at 1017:20. An examination of the airplane wreckage showed no anomalies.

History of flight

On November 8, 2002, at approximately 1020 mountain standard time, a Cessna 208B, N514DB, operated by Brown County Financial Services, LLC, of Snyder, Texas, was destroyed when it departed controlled flight and impacted terrain approximately 3 miles south of Parks, Arizona. The commercial pilot, a private pilot-rated passenger, and two other passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Midland, Texas, under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at 0819 Pacific standard time.

At 0844, the pilot contacted the Fort Worth, Texas, Automated Flight Service Station (FTW FSS) to file an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot told the briefer that he planned to depart Las Vegas at 0900 and cruise at 12,000 feet. The route of flight was planned to proceed via Peach Springs, Flagstaff, and Winslow, Arizona; Zuni, Albuquerque, Corona, and Roswell/Chisum, New Mexico, and end at Midland, Texas. The pilot told the briefer he planned for 4 hours en route, with 6 hours of fuel on board. The pilot provided contact information and told the briefer there were four persons aboard.

As the briefer was entering the flight plan, he asked the pilot if he got his weather. The pilot replied, "just a second ago." The pilot then asked about an airman's meteorological advisory (AIRMET) for icing. The briefer told the pilot an AIRMET was in effect for the pilot's route of flight, that included moderate mixed and rime icing from the freezing level up to 24,000 feet. The briefer added that the freezing level was forecast to be at 12,500 feet in Arizona and that it was dropping down to 10,500 feet further east. The briefer also gave the pilot advisories for scattered rain cells in New Mexico. The briefer advised the pilot of a significant meteorological advisory (SIGMET) for severe turbulence north of the his planned route, but cautioned that he may experience some turbulence as well. The pilot stated he was expecting it.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane departed Las Vegas, Nevada, at approximately 0919. The pilot received routine clearances, via his planned route, and climbed to a cruising altitude of 13,000 feet. At 1005, the pilot contacted ZAB and reported that he was level at 13,000 feet. At 1009, the pilot requested a climb to 15,000 feet. The ZAB controller approved the request.

At 1013:55, the pilot contacted the Albuquerque Automated Flight Service Station (ABQ FSS). The pilot reported to the Flight Watch (FW) specialist that he was approximately 23 miles west of Flagstaff at 15,000 feet, and that about 20 miles west of his position, at 13,000 feet, he encountered light mixed icing. The pilot requested any pilot reports (PIREP) from the FW specialist. FW reported that the only PIREP for icing that he had was from an airplane climbing out of Albuquerque (ABQ) westbound, who reported a trace of rime icing at 12,000. The pilot acknowledged and asked about the weather across New Mexico. FW advised the pilot to stand by while he gathered the reports.

At 1015:15, the pilot called ZAB and reported "getting...mixed...right...now, ."The pilot requested to climb to 17,000 feet. The transmission was partially blocked by other aircraft. At 1015:45, the pilot repeated the altitude request. At 1015:57, the controller cleared the airplane to 17,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged.

During the conversation between the pilot and ZAB, the FW specialist transmitted the weather reports for northern New Mexico and western Texas, advising that light rain was reported at Gallup, New Mexico, layered clouds near Roswell, New Mexico, and good VFR weather near Midland, Texas. At 1016:35, the FW specialist repeated the report of trace icing near ABQ and concluded the report with "mostly just aircraft getting light chop, over." The pilot did not reply.

At the same time ABQ FSS was sending the weather reports, ARTCC radar showed the airplane climb to 15,200 feet, then rapidly descend.

At 1017:00, the FW specialist advised the pilot to "check back when you get a chance, Flagstaff altimeter 30.11." At 1017:08, ABQ FSS received a broken transmission, "four delta bravo." The FW specialist said, "you[r transmission] broke up." There were no further transmissions from the airplane. Radar contact with the airplane was lost at 1017:20.

At 1019, the ZAB controller attempted contact N514DB with no results. The controller then requested another aircraft to monitor for an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal. No signal was identified.

A retired airline pilot who was near the accident site, said he heard engine noises that sounded similar to an airplane doing "aerobatics." Shortly thereafter, he saw the airplane emerge from the clouds pointed straight down and in a spin. The airplane disappeared behind trees. The witness said he heard it impact the ground.

A second witness, who was flying an air ambulance Cessna 208 in the vicinity, said he heard N514DB ask Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZAB) for clearance to 17,000 feet because he was "getting mixed ice." The witness stated that the person making the radio call from N514DB sounded "stressed," and that the transmissions were "garbled."

A third witness, a mechanic on the air ambulance Cessna 208, stated that he heard N514DB report that they were "getting ice." The witness said that the "pilot sounded scared." The witness also said that his pilot told him "the Cessna 208 is very susceptible to icing."

The airplane wreckage was located at approximately 1030.

Personnel information

According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, and multiengine land ratings, dated August 28, 2000. The pilot also held a flight instructor certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, dated July 23, 2000.

The pilot held a first class airman medical certificate, dated January 7, 2002, with the limitation: "Holder must wear lenses that correct for distant vision."

According to the pilot's flight logbook, as of October 10, 2002, he had logged a total flight time of 1,880.2 hours in all aircraft, 1,187.1 hours as pilot-in-command, 428.7 hours as a flight instructor, 125.0 hours of actual instrument (3.0 hours in the last 30 days), and 76.9 hours in make and model (6.9 hours in the last 30 days). From June 24, 2002, to June 28, 2002, the pilot attended Flight Safety International, for Cessna 208 training. The pilot received 7.5 hours of simulator time, which included a 1.5 hour flight review on June 28, 2002. The last logbook entry, dated October 10, 2002, was a local flight lasting 3.7 hours. As of that date, the pilot had accumulated 87.0, 73.5, and 6.9 hours in the last 90, 60, and 30 days, respectively. An accurate account of flight time from October 10, 2002, to the date of the accident, was not determined.

According to FAA records, the pilot-rated passenger held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, dated November 22, 1987. He also held a third class airman medical certificate, dated April 8, 2002, with the limitation: "Holder shall wear corrective lenses."

According to pilot records, from June 24, 2002, to June 28, 2002, the pilot rated passenger attended Flight Safety International, for Cessna 208 training. He received 7.5 hours of simulator time. As of July 31, 2002, the pilot-rated passenger had accumulated a total flight time of 650.0 hours in all aircraft.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane was a Cessna model 208B Caravan (S/N 208B0971). The airplane was manufactured in July 2002 and delivered to the owner on August 1, 2002. The airplane was used for business and pleasure. The airplane was equipped with a Pratt & Whitney Canada, Inc., mo