# NTSB NYC04LA050: Cessna 208B, N9469B, Covington, KY, December 20, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 20, 2003, 06:18 local (11:18 UTC) - Place: Covington, KY - Coordinates: 39.046112, -84.661941 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0461&lon=-84.6619&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Cessna Aircraft Company, Lousville FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58524 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58524/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=58524 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA050 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate pre-flight inspection, which resulted in a decrease in airplane performance due to ice, and a subsequent hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - airframe - ice (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft performance - deteriorated - Hard landing, takeoff - aborted - terrain condition - grass - terrain condition - snow covered ## Analysis The pilot of the cargo flight reported that she arrived at the airplane at 0515 and performed a preflight inspection. The airplane was ready to depart about 0600 and she performed a final walk-around inspection prior to takeoff. The airplane had climbed to 300 to 400 feet above the runway, and was at an airspeed of about 120 knots, when it became "abnormally heavy on the flight controls," and "very unstable about its lateral axis (pitch control)." The pilot elected to reduce the throttle to idle and perform the rejected takeoff procedure. The airplane touched down in snow covered grass, about 85 feet approximately 85 feet off the left side of the runway. The airplane's landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage was buckled near the aft end of the cargo pod. Photographs taken by airport personnel shortly after the accident revealed areas of frost present on the wings and empennage. In addition, ice was observed on portions of the leading edges of the left and right wings. Examination of the airplane did not revealed any mechanical malfunctions. The Cessna 208B information manual, section 4, Normal Procedures, Cold Weather Operations, stated in part: "...Even small accumulations of frost, ice, or snow must be removed, particularly from wing, tail and all control surfaces to assure satisfactory flight performance and handling...." A weather observation taken at the departure airport about the time of the accident included a temperature and dew point of 16 degrees F. ## Factual narrative On December 20, 2003, about 0618 eastern standard time, a Cessna 208B, N9469B, operated by Martinaire, Inc., was substantially damaged during takeoff from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Covington, Kentucky. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight destined for Mc Ghee Tyson Airport, Knoxville, Tennessee. The cargo flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135. The pilot stated that she flew the accident airplane to CVG the evening before the accident. The following morning, she arrived at the airplane at 0515, and performed a preflight inspection. The airplane was loaded with 2,375 pounds of freight, and ready for departure about 0600. The pilot performed a final walk-around inspection to ensure the airplane was secure and the startup area was free of obstacles, before entering the airplane. The pilot taxied to, and departed runway 27, a 10,000-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The airplane had climbed to 300 to 400 feet above the runway, and was at an airspeed of about 120 knots, when it became "abnormally heavy on the flight controls," and "very unstable about its lateral axis (pitch control)." The pilot elected to reduce the throttle to idle and perform the rejected takeoff procedure. The airplane touched down on snow covered grass approximately 85 feet off the left side of the runway, and 262 feet beyond the 7,000-foot runway marker. The airplane came to rest approximately 315 feet off the left side of the runway, and 460 feet prior to the 9,000-foot runway marker. The airplane's landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage was buckled near the aft end of the cargo pod. Photographs taken by airport personnel shortly after the accident revealed areas of frost present on the wings and empennage. In addition, ice was observed on portions of the leading edges of the left and right wings. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not revealed any mechanical malfunctions. The operator stated that de-icing services were available for the airplane at CVG. During an initial conversation with airport personnel, the pilot stated that she did not feel it was necessary to de-ice the airplane prior to takeoff. The Cessna 208B information manual, section 4, Normal Procedures, Cold Weather Operations, stated in part: "...Even small accumulations of frost, ice, or snow must be removed, particularly from wing, tail and all control surfaces to assure satisfactory flight performance and handling...." The operator reported that the pilot had accumulated about 4,095 hours of total flight experience, which included 770 in the Cessna 208. The pilot had also completed a cold weather operations recurrent training course during November 2003. After the accident, about 1,600 pounds of fuel was removed from the airplane, and the cargo was weighed. The airplane's takeoff weight was estimated to be about the maximum takeoff weight of 8,750 pounds. A weather observation taken at CVG, at 0551, included: winds from 270 degrees at 5 knots, and a temperature and dew point of 16 degrees F. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9469B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9469B), registered now, S/N 208B0079, built 1988 (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 52034, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 208B0079 - Airframe hours: 10429 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-114 600 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Martinaire Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, October 15, 2003, 179 hours before - Departed: CVG, Covington, KY - Destination: TYS, Knoxville, TN - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CVG, Cincinnati\Northern Kentucky, runway 27, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 19, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 4,095 total, 770 in this make and model, 265 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 270° at 5 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 16 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: CVG ## 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 20031220036199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031220036199A), Dec 20, 2003: Cessna 208B, Covington/Cinci, KY, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft made take off on runway 27 at cvg. Pilot states that during climb, the aircraft became unstable about it's lateral axis. Pilot aborted the take… ## Other investigations on N9469B (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 CEN22LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA149), Mar 18, 2022: Cessna 208B (N9469B), Grapevine, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot of the second aircraft to maintain a safe distance from the lead airplane while taxiing, which resulted in a ground collision. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=58524. 473 KB in all. - Air Traffic Control Tower Transcript (partial) (item 1, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40219100&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Air%20Traffic%20Control%20Tower%20Transcript%20(partial)-Master.PDF - Email Corespondence from Airport Operations and Operator (item 2, .PDF, 136 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40219099&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20Corespondence%20from%20Airport%20Operations%20and%20Operator-Master.PDF - Pilot Training Records (item 3, .PDF, 260 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40219161&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Training%20Records-Master.PDF - Accident Site Diagram provided by Airport Operations (item 4, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40219103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Site%20Diagram%20provided%20by%20Airport%20Operations%20-Master.PDF 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.