- Date
- October 6, 1989, 22:05 local (Oct 7, 1989, 03:05 UTC)
- Place
- Uncertain, TX
- Injuries
- 5 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N208WCessna 208
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891006039179A
- Case key
- 22996
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper planning/decision by the pilot-in-command, and failure of the aircrew to maintain runway alignment and clearance from the high obstructions (trees) beside the runway. Related factors were: weather conditions, dark night, lack of runway edge lights, lack of visual perception by the pilot(s), and trees beside the runway.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft took off at ngt from a pvt/unlighted strip with a professional (ATP) plt & the non-instrument rated owner/plt at the controls. After takeoff, the acft entered a slight left turn. Subsequently, it hit the top of a tall pine tree, about 80 ft AGL & 202 ft left of the rwy centerline. The acft then crashed into other trees after traveling about an additional 450 ft. no preimpact mechanical problem was found during the investigation. The investigation did not determine which plt was actually flying the acft. Toxicology checks showed the owner had a blood/alcohol level of 0.041% (41 mg/dl) & a urine/alcohol level of 0.012% (12 mg/dl). Toxicology checks of the professional plt's blood & urine were negative for alcohol.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N208W
- Reported as
- Cessna 208
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20800115
- Airframe hours
- 980
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-114, 600 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Winchester Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 11, 1989 · 84 hours before
- Destination
- 81J · Destin, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- Vaughan'S, runway 15, 5,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,200 total · 300 in this make and model · 125 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SHV, 28 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.